Sugar and Spice
by Punk Rock Kitsune
Summary: AU. Levi moves to the small Christian town Shiganshina to start a new life working part time as a teacher and at a family owned bakery. The government has strict laws, banning "sinful" acts. All Levi wanted was a peaceful life. But what happens when he gets suspicious of the government's true intentions and falls in love with someone he's not supposed to? Riren. Warnings inside.
1. Genesis

**Hey guys! This is the second of three stories I am planning on writing during the summer. The first one, of course, was Eyes of the Beholder. The third one will take a little while to release because of the storyline. The title, however, will be Let's Play: Eren and Levi. Any guesses on what that's going to be about? :P And don't worry, the final chapter of Only Lonely is coming out hopefully this week!**

**As for priority, that's up to you. Whichever story you guys like the most will be top priority. :D**

**For those who are new to my stories, hello! Let's be friends! :D**

**Enjoy the first chapter, and I'll see ya at the bottom! **

* * *

_**Title: **__Sugar and Spice_

_**Rating: **M for __underage drinking, implied drug use, language, and of course, Riren sexy times._

_**TRIGGER WARNING: There will be themes about religion… specifically Christianity.**__ This is in no way any ploy to bash on Christianity. It's just for plot purposes. __I will not be responding to complaints or explaining myself from here on out.__ You have been warned. **There will also be rape.** I do not condone rape. It all has a purpose in this story, so do not question why. All comments made about it will be removed and ignored._

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Attack on Titan. Credit goes to Hajime Isayama._

_**Summary: **_AU. Levi moves to the small Christian town Shiganshina to start a new life working part time as a teacher and at a family owned bakery. The town has strict laws, banning "sinful" acts. All Levi wanted was a peaceful life. But what happens when he gets suspicious of the government's true intentions and falls in love with someone he's not supposed to? Riren. Warnings inside.

* * *

_**Chapter 1** Genesis_

Levi exhaled deeply as he stepped off of his black Suzuki motorcycle. He watched his breath disappear into the cold air. The short man hoisted his backpack with all of his belongings up over his shoulders.

_Finally… I'm here. _

He stared at the small brick house in front of him. Levi walked up the door and knocked. A tall blond man answered the door.

"Levi!" He smiled.

"Erwin Smith." Levi replied unenthusiastically. "Now that we know who we are, can you let me in? I'm freezing my balls off."

"Nice to see you again, too." Erwin stepped aside. "You haven't changed from when we were growing up in Mitras. I'm glad you made it here safe."

Erwin glanced at Levi's backpack. "Is that all you have?"

"Sorry that spending the rest of my little money on the cheapest mode of transportation to Shiganshina has left me with barely any clothing and food." Levi snapped. "Living in a shelter left me with little options. And for some reason, this town doesn't allow bus or taxi service."

Erwin nodded. "I'm sorry about that. It's weird, I know. As for clothes, we'll take care of that soon. And Levi… are you one hundred percent sure that you're clean? You know Shiganshina's government has a strict ban on-"

"Yes, yes, I know. How else would I have gotten past those stupid cops stationed at the city line?" Levi rubbed his temples. "Seriously, are they really necessary? I bet they have so much fun breathalyzing every goddamn person that leaves and enters the city."

"It's our protocol." Erwin shrugged, taking Levi's coat and hanging it up. "This town is strictly Protestant. Before I moved here, this city has had many strict laws and bans put in place. No loud music, dancing, drugs, or alcohol. The minors have mandatory religious classes at the high school, and they have an early curfew. In fact, the citizens are not allowed to leave the city unless approved by the board. I have no idea what precipitated all of that."

"Hn. Interesting. Then it's a good thing I'm not a citizen." Levi murmured, not really caring. All he wanted was a temporary place to live so he could get back on his feet. The laws weren't a priority for him.

"…come on, let me show you where you'll be sleeping." Erwin told Levi.

Erwin led Levi to the small spare room. He managed to fit a daybed, two dressers, a hamper, and a desk inside.

"I'm sorry it's not much… but when I saw your condition in Mitras, I just knew I had to get you out of there." Erwin said solemnly.

Levi sighed. "I'm going to treat Mitras like a bad hangover. So at least try not to bring it up." Levi inspected the room and scrunched his nose at the dust. "Besides, the bigger issue here is the standard of cleanliness in this place. I hope you have plenty of Windex and Scrubbing Bubbles here."

Erwin chuckled. "You forget we were best friends at one point. Of course I stocked up on cleaning supplies. You would have killed me if I hadn't."

"Damn right." Levi sat his backpack next to the desk, deciding to sort his stuff out tomorrow. "Erwin… thanks for letting me stay here. As soon as I get enough money, I will find a home of my own."

Erwin smiled softly. "What are friends for? So, the bathroom is right across the hall. I left out a washcloth, a towel, and soap for you. And you don't have to worry about cleaning. I already did that. See you in the morning."

With that, Erwin left Levi alone and went to his own room for the night. Levi opened his backpack and pulled out an old T-shirt and a pair of boxers before going in the bathroom. After shedding his clothes and folding them neatly, Levi turned on the hot water and stepped inside. His muscles immediately relaxed.

_Tomorrow, I have a job interview at Shiganshina High School. Then I have one at the Maria Bakery. Those were the only places that had job openings. I'm not sure how I will fare with a bunch of brats, but I'm just glad the school hires based on skill, not background. The bakery sounds like a nice, relaxing place, too. _

Levi closed his eyes as his former life in the big city washed down the drain along with the soap and water running down his body.

* * *

The next morning, Levi woke up to the strong smell of coffee. He looked towards the window. The sun had not risen yet, so he guessed it was about six am. His interview at the school is at eight.

Levi made his bed then walked over to his backpack. He took out the few clothes he had and folded them into the drawers. Levi did not have dressy clothes to wear to the interview, so he decided on a polo shirt and black pants.

He took his comb, brush, toothbrush, and toothpaste to the bathroom. He winced at the dark circles under his eyes, but decided to ignore them. After doing his hair and brushing his teeth, he walked out to the kitchen. As he figured, Erwin was up making coffee. He was already dressed in his police uniform.

"Good morning." Erwin greeted him.

"Hi." Levi yawned. "Have fun babysitting everyone on town today."

Erwin rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I just hope the government realizes that putting all of these restrictions on people will only backfire in time. Well, I'm off. I left instructions on how to get to the high school on the fridge. See you this evening."

Erwin picked up his keys and left the house.

Levi helped himself to a cup of coffee as he took the instructions off the fridge and read them.

"Hm, that doesn't seem too far from here." Levi muttered.

Levi had an hour before he had to arrive at SHS, so he took it upon himself to wash Erwin's dishes from yesterday that were lodged in the sink. After those were done, Levi grabbed his only coat and the keys to his Suzuki and left before he could succumb to cleaning the entire house.

It was 7:45, and Levi had plenty of time. He revved up his bike and sped off. Levi was able to take a good look at the town. It was definitely rural. The roads were okay, but rundown. The houses were small, and a few were two stories. Levi noticed that no one had new looking cars. Most were compact cars. He didn't see a lot of franchises like McDonald's or Wal-Mart. Everything was generic.

Levi slowed down slightly when he was nearing a bakery. The small bakery was attached to a house, so he assumed that the family lived there. The sign on the building was lit up and said Maria Bakery.

"So that's where I'll be going later." Levi made a mental note of its location.

Outside the bakery, there were two teenagers talking and laughing. The sun had almost risen completely, so Levi was able to make out their appearance. One was a boy of average height with dark brown hair and vibrant green eyes. The other boy next to him was about Levi's height with blond hair and ocean blue eyes. They were wearing identical white collared shirts, black ties, red vests, and khaki pants, so Levi figured they were school uniforms.

The two boys stopped their conversation when they saw Levi ride by them, his engines roaring.

"Eren! That's a motorcycle!" Levi heard the shorter boy say excitedly. "This is the first time I've seen one in person!"

Levi was out of earshot when Eren scoffed jealously.

"Whatever, Armin. He thinks he's a hotshot. I swear, the adults here are fucking hypocrites. They say motorcycles are noisy and unwanted, but there one goes. Come on, let's go before we're late."

_**~.~.~.~.**_

"So, you're Levi Ackerman?" The principal of Shiganshina High School, Dot Pixis, asked.

"That's what it says on my résumé." Levi replied, coming out a bit more snarky than he would have liked.

In Levi's defense, he was a bit irritated before coming in to his interview. He passed by more high school brats walking to school, and they either ogled at his bike or shouted at him enviously.

_Those stupid brats. They act like motorcycles are rare artifacts._

Pixis smiled. "Wow, a sense of humor. We need some of that in this school." The old man looked back down at the résumé. "You graduated from high school in the top fifteen percent. Your highest level of education was three years in college. You had a double major in Hebrew and Japanese. Obviously you're pretty smart. What inspired you to major in those two languages, and why did you drop out?"

"Well, I was born in a Jewish family, hence my name Levi, and growing up, I learned and spoke Hebrew. Hebrew wasn't offered as a language in middle school or high school. I originally wasn't going to take another language, but I was inspired to take Japanese." Levi explained, not liking having to remember parts of his past.

"But I met this little Japanese girl and her mother at the soup kitchen I volunteered at. The girl looked about four. he and her mother didn't speak much English at all. The only words she knew was "please" and "thank you". I only knew "Boku ha Levi Ackerman", so I said that. She smiled a little and started speaking in Japanese, but I had no idea what she was saying. I heard her say "Mikasa", which I'm guessing was her name. So, I was inspired to take Japanese in high school. I saw her one other time when I was a senior in high school. Her mother wasn't with her. "

Pixis smiled. "Mikasa, hm? There is a Mikasa that was adopted by the Jaeger family a few years ago. She claimed her last name was "Ackerman", though her records said otherwise."

Levi's eyes widened. "Really…? She's here?"

Pixis nodded. "Yes. She's sickly, so she stays at home and is homeschooled by Carla Jaeger, the owner of the Maria Bakery. Her son Eren Jaeger attends this school, though. He's a troublesome young man, but he means well. Mikasa cares about Eren a lot."

Levi was a bit unsettled by how much Pixis knew about people. Then again, Shiganshina is a really small town, with a population of 4,000 people.

_Eren Jaeger… I think I saw that guy this morning. He was leaving the bakery. His little friend called him "Eren"._

"So, tell me, why should I give a job to a college dropout?" Pixis asked seriously, snapping Levi out of his thoughts. "How committed are you?"

Levi clenched his fists. "I… was going through a rough time. Two people I cared deeply about died, and I was very, _very_, committed to them. We were family, working hard in school so we could escape our shitty lives in Mitras. But then…" Levi trailed off. "…our dreams were broken."

Pixis stacked his papers and closed his eyes. "Levi… we recently had a position open up in the foreign language department. The board approved of Japanese being taught if a qualified person was available. Unfortunately, the board did not want other languages like Hebrew to be taught in fear of religious defection. It was a miracle the board let Japanese through."

Pixis looked up at Levi. "Since this is a new language, there will only be a morning class. If enough people sign up next semester for Japanese, would you be able to take the job?"

Levi's eyes widened at the offer. "Why… yes. I would."

"You will be getting a call from me in two weeks if things work out." Pixis stood up to shake Levi's hand. "I look forward to it. Be sure to write up a plan for a possible curriculum so I can pass it on to the foreign language department."

"Thank you, sir." Levi told him, returning the handshake.

Levi left the school, feeling a bit better about things than before. However, the town's weird policies are creeping him out a little.

_Religious defection… what the hell? Learning eastern languages does not mean someone will stop following whatever religion they follow. I'm not religious, but I'm still Jewish. What, will the government kick me out for my religious background? Tch._

Levi bumped into someone on accident.

"Watch where you're walking, midget." The person snapped.

Levi's eye twitched at the mop of brown hair that brushed past him. The voice sounded like the Eren from this morning.

_These damn brats. Who does he think he is? No wonder this town is so unyielding._ Levi shook his head. _Whatever. I'm not going to worry about it._

Levi walked back out of the school and hopped back on his motorcycle.

_I don't have to be at the bakery until three, so I think I'm just gonna go back to Erwin's house and clean my problems away._

However, Levi wasn't let off that easy. He wasn't a mile away until a police car stopped him.

"What the actual fuck?" Levi pulled over, confused by what he could have possibly done wrong.

The officer that stopped him was pretty tall with short black hair and a goatee and mustache. His eyes were dark and unamused. His tag read "Nile Dok".

"License and registration."

Levi dug in his pocket and took out his wallet holding the wanted identification. "Is there a problem?" He asked as politely as he could.

Nile ignored him as he verified the information.

Levi was baffled, but kept his face calm. "So _what_ is the problem exactly?" He asked again.

"Motorcycles are not allowed unless they have an 80 decibel noise limit and the correct emissions standards." Nile replied sternly. "You woke up a lot of people this morning with the noise. Everyone here makes it easier on everyone and just doesn't buy a motorcycle. This is disturbing the peace."

Nile then spotted something on the side of the bike. "And get _that_ removed immediately."

Levi looked at where Nile was pointing at. It was a pitch fork bumper sticker.

"Satanic propaganda is also not allowed."

"Satanic propaganda?" Levi repeated, raising an eyebrow. "It's just a damn sticker. I did not buy it. It was already on the bike when I bought it used."

"Watch your language." Nile snapped. "I'm just following the law, and you should do the same. This is your first and only warning, Levi Ackerman. Get the bike fixed to where it's not so loud, and get rid of that sticker, or I will write you up."

With that, Nile walked back to his police car and drove off.

"…what the fuck?" Levi muttered, revving his engine up again. "I need a copy of all these "laws", because this is ridiculous."

Levi drove back to Erwin's house, irritated and confused.

* * *

**There you have it! ****So what's going on with Shiganshina? Why are they so try hard with laws? It will be revealed bit by bit.**

****In the next chapter, you will see Levi's first real interaction with Eren, and his reunion with Mikasa. Since the relationship with Mikasa and Levi's last name is unknown anyway, I thought I would play around with it in this story. :) And yes, yes, I know Mikasa's last name has always been Ackerman. I'm just changing it around here.****

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**PRK**


	2. The Rebel

**Hey guys! Thank you so much for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! I really appreciate it.**

**This is part of the tri-update I did today. I also updated Eyes of the Beholder and the final chapter to Only Lonely, so check those out after this! :D**

**Enjoy the chapter~!**

* * *

_**Chapter 2 **The __Rebel_

Levi smirked in satisfaction as he looked around Erwin's now spotless house. He was so content that he almost forgot about the shit the officer gave him. Almost.

Erwin walked in the house at noon and almost dropped his bag. "Levi… I see you've made yourself at home by cleaning and rearranging my stuff…"

"You should be thanking me." Levi scoffed. "The way I reordered things around will keep the house clean for a longer period of time. If I wasn't so kind, I would be asking for payment right now. So instead, I'm going to ask you what the fuck is wrong with the police."

Erwin raised an eyebrow. "What? What happened?"

"Your friendly neighborhood officer stopped me because my engines were "too loud", and there was a pitchfork bumper sticker on the side that I didn't even buy. I bought the motorcycle used, and it was already on there." Levi explained.

"He said that he would give me a ticket if I didn't fix the engine and get rid of the sticker. Honestly, I'm not even that upset. Just a bit frustrated. This motorcycle is my only mode of transportation. What if I need to leave Shiganshina for something? It's not like I can ask you to ignore your duties and take me. You weren't able to even bring me down here."

Erwin's mouth formed a firm line. "You got stopped by Nile Dok, didn't you?"

Levi remembered the cop's name tag. "Yeah, that was his name."

"Don't think too badly of him." Erwin sighed, sitting down at the kitchen table. "He's just doing his job, and that's all that matters to him. He's the most level headed out of the police here. Even if you talk rudely to him, he won't get angry like everyone else. Did he let you off with a warning?"

"Yeah." Levi rolled his eyes. "I felt like a fucking kindergartner."

Erwin chuckled. "Lucky you. Not many of the officers do so. Only six do, including myself and Nile. But Nile won't let you off twice."

Levi crossed his arms, still not liking the fact he was pulled over for petty shit. "Well, I still think it's messed up. The bumper sticker thing was completely unnecessary. I didn't even buy it. Hasn't this town heard of freedom of expression anyway?"

"This place isn't like the capital." Erwin told him seriously. "I don't agree with many of the things they do here, but the law is the law. Pastor Nick, the head of the Shiganshina Church, is heavily influential in the government here. He put all of these laws into place many years ago, way before I started working here. He claims that he wants to maintain the Christian morals and keep crime away. There hasn't been a single incident here in years."

"But what about people who aren't Christian?" Levi asked.

Erwin hesitated. "Well… everyone here is Christian. The protection offered in this town is tremendous, and the only requirement to live here is to be a Christian or convert to Christianity and attend a service once a week."

Levi's eyes narrowed. "Come on. Not everyone here could possibly be Christian."

Erwin shrugged. "Well, even if someone isn't, they will never speak of it. I don't think it's the religion that's the problem. It's the people running the government. Especially Pastor Nick."

Levi leaned back against the counter. "Well, I guess I can handle attending service. I'll think of it as a chance to learn about another religious culture."

"That's the spirit… pun intended." Erwin smiled. "Well, thanks to you, my lunch break is over. I better get going. I'll see you later on tonight."

"Sure." Levi waved Erwin away. "Go preach to people."

"That's Pastor Nick's job." Erwin said before leaving the house.

Levi washed his hands and opened Erwin's refrigerator to fix some lunch.

_The perfect religious utopia, huh? Going to church in return for protection seems like a pretty good deal on the surface, but those kids… something tells me that they don't think it's so great._

* * *

Later on in the day, Levi opted to walk to the bakery instead of ride his bike and get stopped again. He did not want any trouble here, and he decided to fix his bike with the tools he found in Erwin's house later.

Levi checked his watch. 2:50 pm. He would make it promptly at three. The cold October air made Levi shiver. Riding his motorcycle would have made the coldness not so bad.

The lit sign of the bakery coming into view comforted him slightly. He jogged the rest of the way and opened the glass door. The little bell on the top of the door jingled, alerting the owner inside.

A woman who was a few inches taller than Levi came out from around the back and stood in front of the glass display of cakes and other pastries. She smiled at him.

"Hello, sir! Welcome to the Maria Bakery! You're a new face around here. Anything you want today is on me!"

Levi was a bit surprised at the kindness. He figured everyone here would be mean to him.

"Oh, um, thank you, but I'm actually here for the job opening you had here." Levi told her. "Erwin Smith told you about me, yes?"

"Yes! You must be Levi Ackerman!" Carla walked around the counter and stood in front of Levi with her arm stretched out. "I'm Carla Jaeger, the owner of this bakery. It's nice to finally meet you!"

Levi shook her hand. "Likewise."

"I'm sorry my husband couldn't be here to meet you. He's a travelling doctor, so he's gone most of the time. When Erwin told me that you were the one that Mikasa met years ago, we were ecstatic! I had wondered why Mikasa wanted her last name to be Ackerman."

Levi felt a little awkward, but pressed on. "Yes. It's been a long time."

"So, let me tell you about this place. You don't need to have any experience to work here." Carla smiled. "I have trained all of the workers I've had here myself! Unfortunately, it's just been down to me and my son running the bakery, so it's nice to get some help. He's fifteen and has school, so I can't depend on him all of the time."

Carla checked the wall clock. "In fact, I'm in the middle of preparing a cake a lady has ordered. As soon as I find a place to stop, I will be back with you. Please follow me."

Carla led Levi around back and stopped where a flight of stairs led to the upper part of the place.

_So I was right. This family lives on top of the bakery._ Levi thought.

"Eren!" Carla called upstairs. "Eren, come here!"

A loud groan could be heard. The clop of boots banged down the stairs. It was the brunette boy from this morning. He was still wearing his uniform.

"Whaaaat?" Eren complained. "I was talking to Mikasa."

"Eren, this is Levi, hopefully our new employee." Carla introduced him.

Eren looked at Levi disinterestedly. "Sup."

Levi felt his eye twitch again.

"Eren!" Carla scolded. "What have I told you about your manners?"

Eren shifted his weight to his right leg. "Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Eren Jaeger."

"I'm Levi Ackerman." Levi replied.

"Please show Levi around downstairs and upstairs." Carla instructed her son. "And be sure to introduce him to Mikasa. They were acquaintances at one point." With that, Carla walked back to the kitchen.

Eren eyed Levi. "So you're the guy Mikasa got her last name from? And here I thought Mikasa had good taste in people."

It took all of Levi's willpower not to smack him on the head. "You know, your mother is a very nice lady. To think she gave birth to such a bratty kid is beyond my comprehension." Levi replied coolly.

Eren clenched his fists. "Shut up."

"You don't even know me kid, yet you're picking a fight with me." Levi clicked his tongue. "That shows a lot about your character. I did nothing to you. Or are you pissed because I have a motorcycle and you don't have anything neat like that?"

Eren looked away. "Whatever, I'm done arguing with you. Let me show you around and get this over with. Maybe then you'll fuck off."

Levi was taken aback. _He has quite the mouth for a fifteen year old. That cop gave me lip for saying "damn." So what's going on with this brat?_

"When you came in, you saw the tables and chairs customers sit at, and of course the display of pastries, so that's all self-explanatory." Eren deadpanned. "So let me show you the kitchen."

Carla was still hard at work, so Eren and Levi did their best not to disturb her.

"We keep our ingredients in these two refrigerators." Eren gestured around. "We keep all of our baking utensils in these three drawers. And over here is our cleaning station."

Levi perked up in interest. "Let me see."

Eren sweatdropped as Levi looked through the cleaning supplies.

"This is pretty high quality stuff. I like it." Levi said, standing up straight again.

Levi heard a muffled giggle coming from Carla on the other side of the room.

"…you're weird." Eren told Levi.

"Thanks." Levi smirked.

"Let me show you the upstairs before you start fornicating with the mop." Eren scoffed before walking away.

"Eren!" Carla said in a warning tone.

Eren ignored her. Levi rolled his eyes at Eren's immaturity. "Its fine, Mrs. Jaeger."

Levi followed Eren upstairs.

"There's no bathroom downstairs, so if you have to go, it's right here, the door to your right." Eren said. "And just to warn you, don't think about stealing anything. The last guy tried to. We got our stuff back. We didn't call the police because we didn't want to break the "peace" we've had. But for you, we may make an exception and call." He smirked.

"Duly noted." Levi replied, scowling.

"Our regular kitchen is to your left. When you're on your break, you can come here. You don't have to bring your lunch. My mother provides it." Eren explained. "And that's pretty much it. This place isn't that big. I guess I take you to Mikasa now."

Eren led Levi to another room. It was blue and grey. Fifteen year old Mikasa Ackerman was lying in bed, reading a book.

"Mikasa, someone's here to see you." Eren called to her.

The black haired girl looked up. Her mouth gaped slightly when her eyes fell on Levi.

"It's… you." Mikasa sat up in her bed, shocked. "Levi Ackerman."

"It's been seven years." Levi's eyes softened. "I'm sorry you've been sick."

Mikasa chuckled. "I've always been sort of feeble. I'm getting better though. Dr. Jaeger said that I may be able to attend high school next year with Eren."

"It's nothing to look forward to." Eren derided. "The teachers are boring as fuck, and they are strict."

"It doesn't matter, as long as I'm with you." Mikasa replied seriously. "As soon as I'm stronger, I will have your back, always."

Eren smiled softly. "Right…"

Mikasa directed her attention back to Levi. "Are you living in Shiganshina?"

Levi nodded. "Yeah. In fact, I'm planning on working here at the bakery."

Eren scowled while Mikasa smiled. "That's awesome. Eren needs someone to talk to, anyway."

"You make me sound like a loner." Eren snapped. "I have plenty of friends."

"I mean someone who has common sense." Mikasa clarified.

Levi chuckled at Eren's pouty face.

"Levi?" Carla called from downstairs. "I'm finally able to stop. If you're interested in working here, let's work something out."

Levi ruffled Mikasa's hair before walking out of her bedroom.

"Hey, Levi." Eren said, stepping out of Mikasa's room as well.

Levi turned around, a bit annoyed. "What, brat?"

Eren shifted uncomfortably. "If you do decide to work here… I guess if it makes Mikasa happy, then I won't be against it."

_As if it was up to you. _Levi thought, amused. _But coming from a brat with no manners, I guess it's kind of nice._

"Sure." Levi finally replied.

He walked downstairs to the waiting Carla.

* * *

Later that night, Erwin came home to the smell of fish and vegetables.

"Levi?" Erwin walked in the kitchen and saw Levi cooking at the stove.

"I can't wait to get my first paycheck so I can buy some real food." Levi said as a form of greeting. "This frozen shit sucks."

"Good evening to you too." Erwin smiled. "So how did your interviews go?"

"Relatively well." Levi replied, turning off the stove. "The principal offered me a position as a Japanese teacher."

"Oh? That's great! I never thought the board would agree to let eastern languages get taught." Erwin said.

"That's what Pixis said. Something about "religious defection" or some shit like that. Seriously, how will teaching a language convert somebody to another religion? It makes no sense." Levi sighed. "Oh, well. Pixis said that if enough people signed up for Japanese next semester, I will have a morning class."

"That's wonderful news. You are incredibly talented at foreign language, so I'm sure you'll do well." Erwin told him. "So how did the bakery go?"

Levi snorted. "It was okay, xcept for the brat Eren Jaeger. He has quite the mouth. That cop made me believe swearing was a sin here, but nope. Not that guy. I got to see Mikasa again, though. That was nice. I start in January, the same time as my hopeful teaching job. I just hope the kids aren't bratty like Jaeger."

"Most of the teenagers here are like that." Erwin explained. "It's just rebellion. They are more open with their resentment to the laws here. However, if they're caught, they're on church probation for two weeks."

"Ouch. That sucks ass." Levi dished two plates of the fish and vegetables. "I doubt it does much to change their attitude."

"Trust me, it doesn't." Erwin sighed. "Not much we can do about it, though. The most rebellious teens of them all are fifteen right now, including Eren Jaeger. I don't know what to do if they start protesting. I don't want to put them in cells."

"Then don't." Levi sat down with the plates and silverware, pushing one set in Erwin's direction. "Let the kids be kids."

"It's not a matter of kids being kids." Erwin said gravely. "The government wants complete peace. No disturbance at all. They talk about eliminating any possible threat. I don't want those kids to get in trouble and break the law."

Levi crossed his legs. "So what about when they turn eighteen? Why won't they just leave?"

"Because most of them can't afford to." Erwin said. "The protection here is unlike any other, so parents won't let them leave so easily. So then what will the kids do? They won't have the money to make it on their own. They have no other relatives to live with. No college degree to land them a high paying job. No mode of transportation. Don't forget, they can't leave without the approval by the government. The adults signed a contract before moving here."

"Damn…" Levi ate some of his fish. "Why are they doing all of this? What purpose could they have?"

Erwin shrugged. "They just want to keep the peace. Despite the laws, people feel safe here."

Levi slumped in his chair. "Well I'll be damned. Are those kids trapped here forever?"

"Unless they get a job here and make enough money to leave." Erwin said. "But that'll be just as difficult."

Levi chewed his food as he sat in thought.

_That bites… then again, if I had such strict rules in place when I was younger, maybe I would've turned out better than I did…_

* * *

**That's it for chapter 2! I hope you all enjoyed!**

**As I mentioned above, I updated Eyes of the Beholder and the finale to Only Lonely, so be sure to check those other two Riren stories out!**

**If you've liked the story so far, add this to your favorites and alerts.**

**And remember...**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**I really appreciate feedback. See you in the next one!**

**PRK**


	3. Blunt

**Hello! Thanks for the reviews, faves, and alerts! I appreciate them!**

**There is a little time skip, which will be mentioned.**

**Enjoy the chapter, and I'll see ya at the bottom.**

* * *

_**Chapter 3 **__Blunt_

"We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!"

Levi stared disdainfully at the yuletide carolers singing at the door.

"With tidings we bring, to you and your kin, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new ye-"

Levi slammed the door in their faces.

"Fuck this." Levi walked away from the front door. "I fucking hate the holidays."

Erwin walked out of the kitchen, chuckling. "But it's your birthday."

"I hate that, too."

Erwin sighed. "At least be kind to the carolers. Don't slam the door in their faces."

"No." Levi deadpanned. "That was the fifth group today."

"I'm sure you had carolers in Mitras." Erwin rolled his eyes.

"At least they kept it interesting." Levi smirked. "My favorite one was ten years ago. As you know, I was living in a pretty bad neighborhood. This one guy was obviously high as fuck, and he was going door to door at 3 am on Christmas day trying to sell weed. Never a good idea."

"I wonder if I should go door to door here and sing about marijuana." Levi sneered.

"Levi." Erwin warned. "Do you want to lose your opportunity of having both of your jobs? You haven't even started either one yet!"

"I was kidding." Levi sighed. "I went to Pastor Nick's little Christmas Eve sermon yesterday. He warned us not to get drunk or high on Jesus' birthday or else we'll wind up in hell, or some shit like that."

Levi tapped his fingers on the door. "That reminds me… I've been to several of his sermons over the duration of the two months I've been here. All he preaches about is not to do this or that or you'll spend eternity in a lake of fire. It's kind of annoying."

"That's just how it is around here." Erwin explained. "The government wants strict and complete order. They feel if the church lightens up, it'll cause people to get the wrong idea and defect."

"Of course." Levi walked away. "I need to get going. Carla called me in today. I'm beginning my job early, I guess."

"Oh?" Erwin raised an eyebrow. "I guess Carla still has orders. Well, see you when you get back."

"Yeah." Levi grabbed his new coat and walked outside. He was grateful for the clothes Erwin got him for his birthday and Christmas present.

Levi snarled when he walked out of the house. It was snowing rather heavily outside, and the road was covered in ice.

"Well, there goes riding my motorcycle." Levi groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation.

He dug into his coat pockets and pulled out his gloves and a scarf. Stuffing his gloved hands into his now empty pockets, Levi walked briskly on the slippery sidewalk. He tugged his scarf closer to his face.

The familiar red lights of Carla's sign came into view. And then, it happened. Levi didn't watch where he was stepping and his foot slipped under him. Levi fell forward, covering his face with his arms.

"Fuck!" Levi shouted between clenched teeth.

He tried to stand, but his legs and arms felt like they were on fire.

"Levi?" He heard a voice call in the distance.

In a matter of seconds, he heard feet pattering towards him quickly. Levi looked up to see Carla staring down at him worriedly.

"I heard you shout. What happened?" Carla asked, reaching her hand out to help him up.

"It's nothing. I just slipped." Levi grabbed Carla's hand, trying his best to ignore the pain that shot up his arm.

"Oh no! I've done that so many times." Carla told him. "Can you walk?"

Levi attempted to take a step forward, but the pain was too much. Levi looked down to see holes ripped in the knees of his jeans and blood spewing out.

_Shit. I must have hit the sidewalk directly._

"Wait right here." Carla told Levi.

Levi carefully sat back on the ground, frustrated and a little embarrassed. Carla came back a few seconds later with her bratty son.

"Eren, I want you to carry Levi inside." Carla instructed the young brunette.

Eren's eyes widened and Levi growled.

"No thanks." Levi spat. "I'd rather scoot on my ass like a dog than get carried by him."

Carla simply clicked her tongue at Levi. "Eren."

Eren didn't do much to hide his shit eating grin as he bent down to retrieve Levi.

"Touch me and you die." Levi growled, trying his best to stand up again.

"Don't touch him and you're grounded." Carla told Eren firmly.

Eren quickly picked Levi up, carrying him bridal style.

"Since when is getting grounded worse than death?" Levi growled, glaring at Eren.

"Stop complaining and let's go, princess." Eren smirked, following his mother. "Wow, you must be really old, getting taken out after a little fall."

Levi's fist connected with the back of Eren's head. "Do I seem old now?"

"Ow!" Eren whined, almost dropping Levi to rub the back of his head.

Levi squirmed uncomfortably, feeling absolutely livid. _Fuck this place. Fuck this snow. Fuck this brat._

Eren followed Carla into the bakery and carried him upstairs. Some of the customers inside waiting for their Christmas cakes and breads stared at Levi and Eren curiously.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting!" Carla cried, drawing the customer's attention away from the two males. "One of my employees got hurt."

Eren sat Levi down at the kitchen table.

"Wait here." He told the short man.

"It's not like I can walk anywhere." Levi retorted sarcastically.

"You could always scoot on your ass." Eren bit back before leaving the kitchen.

Levi stared back at the brunette in awe. How did this Christian town get a hold of such a cheeky little shit?

"Mikasa, he's fine." Levi heard Eren say from a distance. "He was walking with his cane, and he fell. Old people tend to do that. We should buy him a Life Alert for next time."

_Fuck him._

Eren returned with a first aid kit. He knelt in front of Levi.

"Your knees are scraped pretty bad. How about your arms? Are they okay?" Eren asked softly.

Levi was taken aback. What just happened? How did he go from being a bitch to a kind soul?

"N…no. My arms aren't scraped." Levi replied, tugging off his coat and folding it on the table. "They just hurt from the landing."

"That's a relief." Eren took out gauze, cotton balls, and a tube of Neosporin.

"Shoot, we need to rinse out your wound…" Eren bit his lip. "You'll need to… t-take off your pants."

Levi gave Eren a cold stare. "What are you, five?"

Eren looked away while Levi shed his jeans and folded them up.

"You know, we should have done this in the bathroom." Levi said disparagingly, not wanting to ruin the cleanliness of the room. "I don't know about you, but I don't like blood in my food."

"Mikasa was in the bathroom!" Eren was beet red. "I don't want you in there with her, you pervert!"

"What the fuck?" Levi narrowed his eyes at Eren. "As if I'm into little brats."

"J-Just shut up and let me clean your wounds." Eren's nostrils flared, and the tips of his ears were red.

_What the fuck?_

Eren filled a bowl with cold water and grabbed a washcloth. He knelt back down in front of the half-naked man, trying his hardest not to make eye contact with Levi's boxers. He rinsed Levi's scrapes. Levi scrunched his nose at the bloody mess inside the bowl.

Eren opened the Neosporin and spread it on Levi's knees with the cotton balls. He finished with wrapping some gauze around them.

"There." Eren smiled with satisfaction at his handiwork.

Eren left to put the kit away and returned with some plain black sweatpants. "Here, wear these. I'm sure these are small enough for you, seeing as I haven't worn these since I was ten."

Levi scowled at Eren's subtle insult as he put on the pants. "What the hell? Do you have PMS or some shit?"

Eren closed his eyes. "Do I get a thanks for carrying you here and treating your cuts?"

Scoffing, Levi stood up, wincing at the pain. "I don't have time for your silly games. I have stuff to do."

Levi limped out of the kitchen.

"My dad's a doctor, as you know." Eren said, walking behind him. "He taught me how to do first aid when I was little."

Levi turned around. "What are you on about, brat?"

Eren scratched the back of his head nervously. "I never get a chance to help people, since all I am in Shiganshina is a kid that needs to be controlled. I want to do something, I want to help humanity somehow. But, I can't in this town. So… I'm happy when I help others. I helped you, so yeah…"

Eren quickly turned back around to hide his flushed face. "That was really embarrassing to admit, so you better thank me for helping you!"

Levi stared at Eren. "…thanks."

Eren spun back around, only to see Levi attempt to walk back downstairs.

"Carla, do you need help now?" Levi called down to her.

Eren smiled softly and followed him.

To Levi's surprise, all of the other customers were gone, and the closed sign was out on the door.

"Sit, Levi." Carla told him. "To be honest, I didn't call you in so you could work…"

"What?" Levi's eye twitched.

So he trudged through ice and snow, managed to injure himself, and got harassed by a fifteen year old kid for nothing? What a crappy birthday.

Carla looked at Eren. The brunette quickly went around back.

"Now Levi, don't get upset." Carla said, seeing Levi's face.

Eren came back around with a chocolate cake with one candle in the middle.

"Happy birthday!" Carla cried, taking the cake from Eren. "Erwin told me your birthday was on the same day as Christmas. So Eren baked this yesterday."

Levi stared at the cake. "Wow… um, okay. Weird, I've never had birthday cake."

"What?" Eren cried, wide-eyed. "Seriously?!"

"Don't shit yourself, brat." Levi spat. "It's nothing special. I never really celebrated my birthday growing up, or Christmas, for that matter. I wasn't as fortunate as you."

Eren wanted to say something, but decided against it.

"Well…" Carla smiled gently. "Here's to your first celebration. Come, sit down."

Levi limped over to the table, sighing. "Though I appreciate the sentiment, I'm not a twelve year old at a birthday party."

"Well, you never were." Carla pointed out.

Levi twitched again. "… just don't sing."

"Deal." Carla laughed, sitting the cake in front of Levi. "Enjoy."

Without another word, Eren went back upstairs to his room to get ready for a monthly event with his friends.

"You think I'm fortunate?" Eren muttered under his breath as he went inside his small closet. "You haven't lived here long enough."

* * *

Levi stared outside as the snow didn't let up at all. He's been inside the bakery for two hours. The sun had already set, and the moon illuminated the dark sky. Levi glanced at the staircase. Eren did not come back downstairs at all.

"Levi?" Carla spoke.

Levi looked up at her. "Yeah?"

"It's getting pretty late. I can give you a ride home if you'd like." Carla said kindly. "And don't worry about your jeans. I can patch them up to make them good as new."

Levi stood up. "Ah, sure. Thanks. And thanks for… the cake."

"No problem." Carla replied. "Stay here. I'll be right back."

Carla walked back upstairs to grab her car keys. Levi looked back out the window as he slipped on his coat. Then, something caught his eye. Someone was climbing down the side of the bakery from the second floor.

Levi squinted his eyes as he walked towards the door. The figure was walking away briskly into the night.

Levi quickly exited the bakery and followed him, ignoring the slight pain in his legs.

_Who the hell is that? A thief?_

Carla walked back downstairs.

"Sorry Levi. I had to check on Eren and Mikasa before I-"

Carla stopped when she saw Levi was gone. "Levi?"

**~.~.~.~.~.**

Levi continued to follow the figure.

_Why am I even doing this? Why am I following someone around in the cold? Fuck my childhood instincts._

The figure met up with a shorter one two blocks later.

"Don't tell me that trick worked again?" The shorter figure groaned.

"Believe it, Armin. Pillows under the sheets always works."

Levi stopped walking. _No way… Eren?!_

"You're gonna get caught one day. Then what'll you do?" Armin asked.

"I'll just roll with it."

Levi snarled. He considered walking back to Erwin's house and pretend he didn't see anything. He also considered grabbing Eren, beat the crap out of him, and drag him back to Carla. However, he didn't do either one. Instead, he continues to follow them.

_Let's see what the youth of this fine town does on late Friday nights._

Levi felt the pain in his legs die away as he focused his attention on the hooded teenagers. Eventually, they came to a dark and seemingly abandoned house.

"You keeping watch tonight?" Eren asked his friend.

"Of course. I already told you I don't want to participate. I'm on lookout after Jean, though, so I guess I'll head downstairs with you." Armin replied.

_Participate? Participate in what?_

"Sup, horse face." Eren greeted a tall teen by the door sarcastically. The boy hiccupped.

"Jean, don't tell me you drank on the job." Armin groaned.

"Shut uuuup." Jean Kirstein snapped, obviously intoxicated. "Get your asses inside before someone sees you!"

"But the bottle down." Eren snapped. "You're damn lucky your shift ends now. Armin, let's go inside for a sec."

Eren and Armin disappeared inside. Narrowing his eyes, Levi stepped to the front door, staring Jean down.

"Marco!" Jean cried, putting an arm around Levi. "Damn, you've shrunk! Well, go inside! The party's already started."

"Disgusting creep." Levi shoved Jean's arm off and stalked inside.

"That's soooooo hot!" Jean hooted.

Levi stumbled around in the dark house. "Where the fuck did they go?" He seethed.

Levi heard loud music booming from below the ground. After walking around for a good ten minutes, he found a door leading the house's basement. As soon as he opened it, the music got considerably louder.

"The hell…?" Levi walked down the small flight of stairs to see a large group of teenagers dancing under a disco ball. Loud 80s music bounced off the walls. The kids were laughing, shouting, and messing around. They weren't wearing their high school uniforms. Most of the girls had hiked up skirts and most of the guys had on black.

From the way they were acting and the bottles being tipped back or thrown on the floor, Levi concluded that they were all drinking. Levi stepped through the crowd. Due to his youthful face, most of the teens that weren't as drunk figured Levi was a newcomer.

"Sasha! How's the brewing coming along?" Levi heard Eren ask a dark brown haired girl.

"Just fine!" Sasha Braus giggled. "I didn't even have to steal the ingredients this time! My parents had them in the house."

Levi looked over to see Sasha brewing ingredients for beer. _How the fuck did she learn this?!_

"This batch will be ready in about a week." Sasha continued. "In the nick of time for our New Years' party."

"Awesome!" Eren turned away to walk over to another friend of his.

Levi had to look twice at Eren's outfit. After tossing his coat away, Eren showed off his leather pants and a white Bon Jovi tank top. It was completely 80s.

Levi had to admit, despite being wrong on so many levels, Eren looked way too good to be a fifteen year old brat. Just what is going on?

Eren grabbed a bottle of beer off a table and chugged it down.

"Gah, it's strong this time." Eren said afterwards.

"Yo, Eren! Historia just brought in a bunch of your stress reliever!" A tall blond slapped Eren on the back.

"Great!" Eren sighed in relief. "Where are they at, Reiner?"

"Over here." Reiner led the brunette away.

Levi deliberately followed Eren, wondering what this "stress reliever" was.

"Ymir, is it ready?" Eren asked a tall brunette.

They had walked to another corner of the huge basement. Ymir and Annie were rolling… blunts?!

"Here, Jaeger." Annie deadpanned, handing him a blunt and a match.

"Sweet!"

Deciding he had had enough, Levi stormed over to Eren and grabbed his arm, dragging him away. Ymir, Annie, and Reiner were looking down, so they didn't notice Eren get taken away.

"What the- Levi?!" Eren cried, shocked. "What the hell?!"

"Shut up." Levi snapped coldly, pushing him in front. "Grab your fucking coat and excuse yourself, _now_."

"Fuck you." Eren spat adamantly.

_Slap._

Levi had no idea why he decided to slap Eren across the face, but he did it. Why? Was it because Eren was involved in illegal activities? That he was lying to his kind mother? Or… maybe because Eren reminded Levi of his foolish younger self.

Eren gave Levi a deathly glare before doing what he was told. He snatched his coat up and put it on. Levi grabbed Eren by the arm again and led him out. However, Eren passed Armin and Jean on the way out. Furious, he tugged his arm from Levi's grip and went for Jean.

"You had one fucking job, Jean! To keep adults _out_!" Eren screamed.

"Eren!" Armin quickly stood in front of the intoxicated teen.

The blond then saw Levi, and his mouth gaped.

"Armin, tell no one this guy was here. Not a _soul_." Eren warned his friend lowly. "That drunk bastard will forget. We worked hard to get to this point, so don't tell anyone we were infiltrated."

"O-Okay…" Armin stammered, stepping aside to let Eren and Levi pass.

Eren was read to fight as soon as they were a safe distance away from the party house.

"You bastard!" Eren shouted at Levi. "Why did you follow me here?! You need to fucking mind your own business!"

Without saying a word, Levi grabbed the collar of Eren's coat and shoved him against the wall of a closed building. His steely eyes bore holes into Eren.

"Shut your fucking mouth." Levi said lowly. "Who do you think you are talking to me like that? Obviously your mother didn't teach you better. Or maybe it's the fact that your father isn't around to see his pathetic excuse of a son take part in illegal shit."

Eren's face scrunched up. Levi knew it was a low blow, but at least he knew for sure Eren was listening to him.

"You're fifteen. You're a kid. Why are you smoking blunts and drinking?" Levi asked, not letting up on the pressure. "You told me you wanted to help people, right? Is this how you do it? By getting your friends high and letting them get alcohol poisoning?"

Eren grabbed Levi's wrist. "It's none of your damn business! And it never will be. And how dare you call me pathetic! You don't know me! So get your hands off of me!"

Levi let go, and Eren brushed past Levi. "I'm going back home today, but you better not tell anyone about this." Eren said. "If you report us, you will regret it. We worked too hard to have our small monthly night of freedom be taken away by a midget from the capital."

"You're in no position to be making threats." Levi replied icily. "If I had a good mind, I would treat you like I treated punks like you in my old neighborhood. But then I would be on trial for _murder_."

Eren gasped. "What?!"

"Good night and fuck you." Levi walked away from the bewildered brunette.

_This town is more twisted than I thought. Just what is going on? How did these kids learn how to brew beer and roll blunts?! And their clothes… out of all the stores I've been in, there was nothing wild. Something's not right here. And I'll get to the bottom of it on my own._

* * *

**Ha, get why the chapter name was called "Blunt"? Because they were smoking them, and Levi was being blunt to Eren. Ha… puns.**

**So the plot has thickened! Not only is Shiganshina a radically religious town, but the teens have some sort of underground stuff going on, too. And what happens when Levi starts his teaching job and sees familiar faces? You'll find out next chapter! :D**

**Shameless promotion time! I recently released my third out three stories I'm writing this summer called Let's Play: Eren and Levi. So feel free to check it out!**

**If you've liked the story so far, add this to your favorites and alerts.**

**And remember...**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**I really appreciate feedback. See you in the next one!**

**PRK**


	4. Schoolhouse Shock

**Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews, faves, and alerts! I appreciate them! Hugs!**

**So, now that Eren and Levi know an unwanted secret about each other, how will their tension grow when they have to see each other in school too?  
**

**Good news! I'm actually studying Japanese (minoring in it in college this year~), and I already know two years' worth. So I won't need to use Google Translate when Levi really starts teaching. So no one can tease me anymore! Yay for accuracy! **

**Enjoy the chapter~**

* * *

_**Chapter 4 **__Schoolhouse Shock_

_**Two Weeks Later…**_

Levi looked in the bathroom mirror and tugged at his dress shirt collar to loosen it slightly. Today was his first day as a teacher at Shiganshina High School. He is one for making good impressions, so he had to make sure he looked his best.

Erwin helped Levi purchase dress pants, shirts, shoes, and ties for the job. That morning, Levi decided to wear a simple white dress shirt with black dress pants and shoes. He finished the look with a black tie. His pants had a skinny fit, just the way he liked it. He hates loose clothing.

After brushing his hair and teeth, Levi walked out of the bathroom and into the kitchen. Erwin had left earlier than usual that morning, but left a pot of coffee brewing for Levi. After pouring a mug and sweetening it with generic brand sweetener, Levi looked over his roster and the curriculum her wrote out for the class himself.

"Heh… only twelve people signed up." Levi mused. "Oh well. A smaller class will be easier to manage anyway."

Levi rinsed out his coffee mug and quickly washed it before leaving for SHS. He neatly placed all of his school materials inside a leather shoulder bag and hoisted it around him. Luckily, the roads were not slicked with ice, so Levi walked over to his motorcycle. He managed to fix the engine so it wouldn't be so loud. However, he was still under the watchful eye of Nile Dok.

Levi revved up his bike and took off towards the high school. Teachers were required to arrive at the school an hour before the students, so Levi did not have to deal with the kids that shouted at him again. When Levi sped past the Maria Bakery, he saw lights on in the bakery section.

_Carla's already up, huh? Heh… that brat must still be sleeping._

Ehen Levi arrived at SHS, he parked in teacher parking and hurried inside the school with his shoulder bag. SHS is a pretty big school. It is two stories, and educates the entire teenage population of Shiganshina. Approximately 1,000 students.

He knew where his classroom would be, so Levi quickly walked upstairs into B Hall.

"Okay… B535…" Levi murmured.

When he arrived, Levi noticed a sticky note on the door. He pulled it all and read it.

_Mr. Ackerman,_

_Come on by the teacher's lounge. The other teachers want to meet you. We have coffee and donuts._

_Principal Pixis_

Levi sighed, crumpling the note up. Levi walked inside his newly acquired classroom. It was bare. Completely bare. No posters were on the walls. The walls were a sickly cream color. The carpet was grey. This room was in serious need of remodeling. He clicked his tongue. This would not do. Sure he was clean, but he wasn't boring as fuck.

Deciding to deal with that later, Levi quickly dropped his stuff off before heading back out. He vaguely remembered the teacher's lounge being somewhere near Pixis' office, so he would start there. As Levi suspected, he heard chatter. He walked in the room next to Pixis' office. The female teachers were mostly wearing long skirts and blouses. The male ones had on sweaters and dress pants.

They were drinking coffee and talking amongst themselves. One of them turned around and spotted Levi.

"Mr. Ackerman! Welcome to Shiganshina High School." She smiled brightly.

"Thanks." Levi deadpanned. "You can just call me Levi."

The teacher scrunched up her nose. "We try to teach the children that in school, we must remain formal and respectful with the adults. Informality is for after school. So thus, the teacher calls each other 'Mr', 'Miss', or 'Mrs' during school hours."

"…oh."

He looked to the left to see some of the male teachers looking at him, judging his skinny fit dress pants. What were they, a bunch of snotty girls?

Levi's attention was brought back when another female teacher walked up to him.

"Since this is your first day teaching freshman, let me warn you about some of them." She said to him. "I am not the gossiping type, but there is some distinct trouble that the school is trying to deal with."

Levi raised an eyebrow. "Okay…"

"First off is Eren Jaeger."

"What about him?" Levi asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"He is the most rebellious of them all. He tends to be late, lazy, and has a horrible mouth! He also picks fights with other boys, mainly Jean Kirstein. Eren has been on church probation twice this semester. And speaking of Jean…" The teacher shuddered and shook her head, as if she would be condemned to hell if she spoke.

Levi waited for her to say something. _And this is not considered gossip? Hypocrite.  
_

"He and another boy, Marco Bodt, were caught doing… unspeakable acts against God." She put her hand over her heart. "And because of it, they are not allowed to be near each other, in school and out of school. They are now required to go to prayer twice a week until the desire for each other is gone. That is the only time they are next to each other. It's a real shame. Marco has the second highest GPA, and he was so sweet and respectable. Now thanks to Jean, he's turned into a sinner."

Levi was put off. He remembered Jean mentioning someone named Marco at the underground party. "What could they have done that was so horrible?"

"They…" The teacher trailed off, but quickly took out the pen from behind her ear and scribbled it down on her napkin. She handed it to him.

Levi looked down at the note.

_They were caught kissing and touching each other inappropriately in the boy's bathroom._

"…and how is this sinful?" Levi asked.

"Homosexuality is an abomination before God!" The teacher cried, exasperated.

"But they weren't having sex, right? The law here says that it's against sex before marriage." Levi frowned. "So how were they breaking the town's law?"

"The Bible is also the law." The teacher told him. "And in this school, that is our policy."

The teacher babbled on about other students Levi didn't know. How Sasha Blouse is a glutton, Annie Leonhart is cold-hearted, Connie Springer has a horrible attitude, and…

"Historia Reiss! If angels were tangible, she would be one!" The teacher mused. "She is the perfect Christian. Kind, respectful, turns in all of her assignments, gets straight A's, and goes to every church service, which is three times a week!" Her eyes narrowed. "She spends her time with the bum Ymir. Ymir is such a horrible influence. I just hope Historia's angelic nature rubs off on her. Oh, and also, there is the biology teacher that came in two years ago. She is-"

"It's 7:50! The kids will be coming in soon." A male teacher announced.

As soon as he said that, Levi abandoned the teacher's lounge. He will never be going there again. He was two seconds away from popping her in the mouth.

_That lady is nuts. This school is nuts. This __**town**__ is nuts! There is nothing wrong with these kids. They're acting like normal kids! And these damn teachers are acting like they're demons. And Historia… she was the one delivering the marijuana. She's not as angelic as they think. I just wish they wouldn't drink and get high. They're too young for that. They're going to end up just like I me: hitting rock bottom._

Before he knew it, he was back in his room. There was already a girl inside, sitting in the front row of desks on the far right of the room. She had blond hair and big blue eyes.

"What's your name?" Levi asked, taking out a sheet with empty spaces on them to fill out the official roster.

"Historia Reiss." She replied sweetly.

Levi's eyes widened. "Oh… okay." He shook off his surprise and wrote the name in. "We're sitting in alphabetical order for-"

"I know, Mr. Ackerman." Historia smiled brightly. "We do that in every class. I'm already in the correct seat."

"Oh… kay." This school keeps getting weirder and weirder. "I have blunt- I mean, _brought_, textbooks for the class. You will get one as soon as everyone is here."

Historia tilted her head to the side curiously. "Okay."

As the minutes ticked by, more and more students filed in quietly. And of course, all of them were going in certain seats, probably in alphabetical order.

Then, Jean Kirstein walked in. Levi quickly looked straight. The tall sandy haired teen sat in the middle of the second row.

"Hey Jean, how was prayer last night?" A boy with a shaved head smirked.

"Shut up, Connie." Jean hissed. "It was the same as always: boring and a waste of time."

Another boy walked in. He was slightly taller than average, and he had black hair and freckles. All conversation stopped. Levi looked around, not sure what the hell was going on. Then he noticed Jean staring at the boy, and the boy staring back. Ducking his head, the freckled boy sat behind the brunette girl in the first row.

_That must be Marco Bodt._ Levi concluded.

Conversation started up again as if nothing happened. Then a tall brunette girl walked in, her eyes vacant. When she spotted Historia, however, she was overjoyed.

"Historia! You're in this class too?" She hurried over to the blond, hugging her tightly. "I'm so happy!"

"It's nice to see you too, Ymir." Historia giggled cutely. "So how was your winter vacation?"

Levi scanned the class of uniform-wearing students. They seemed like a slightly lively bunch.

With one minute to go until the late bell rang, Levi stared at two empty seats. One was in the very front of the first row, and one was in front of Jean.

_Where are these two?_

"Eren! You've made us late _again_!" A familiar voice shouted at a distance.

Levi's eyes widened. _No… it can't be._

Just as the bell rang, Armin Arlert and Eren Jaeger ran inside the classroom, panting.

"Not late!" Eren puffed, slapping Armin on the back.

"Jaeger! Do you have any idea how many times you've been late for school this year?" Jean called him out.

"Well, I don't think it's been more than once a day." Eren smirked, looking up.

He froze when he saw his new teacher. Armin froze as well, fearing for his life.

"What are you two idiots doing? Sit down." Levi rolled his eyes.

The class giggled as Eren and Armin sat in their designated seats. Eren stared Levi down, as if he thought Levi would bring up the party. Levi ignored his glares and stood in front of the small podium.

"Well, we have lively roster here." Levi began. "_Ohayougozaimasu._ Good morning. I am Levi Ackerman. Thanks for enrolling in Japanese. You've given me a job."

The class giggled again.

"Today, I will make sure I know all of your names, we will go over the syllabus for this class, and we'll be going over basic Japanese mannerisms and introductions."

Levi stepped out from behind the podium with his sheet walking over to the first row. "Since you all took the liberty of placing yourselves in order, I'll just go by row. Name?" Levi stared at Armin.

"A-Armin Arlert." The blond stammered nervously.

Levi didn't say word. He just scribbled down his name and looked at the girl behind her. "Name?"

The girl's mouth was full. She was obviously sneaking food in her mouth. Everyone did their best to contain their laughter as she quickly chewed in swallowed.

"I'm Sasha Blouse!" She said enthusiastically. "Sorry about that, I was in the middle of eating when you asked my name."

The entire class face palmed at her frankness. Levi clicked his tongue as he wrote down her name. "In Japanese high schools, eating during class is not allowed. But I'm willing to let up, so if any of you want to eat or drink something, just ask me. I know what it's like not having time to eat in the morning."

Everyone gasped.

"We can _seriously_ eat in class?!" Sasha asked, shocked.

"Only if you ask. And we'll learn how to ask for permission to do something a little later in the semester." Levi replied.

"Best class ever!" Sasha grinned.

Levi looked at Marco, who shifted uncomfortably. "Name?"

"Marco Bodt." Marco did his best to smile, but it was weak. He still had his mind on Jean.

Levi went down all the rows, asking for names.

"Reiner Braun."

"Bertolt Hoover."

Levi stared at Eren. "Name?"

Eren's glare intensified. "Eren fucking Jaeger."

"Eren!" Armin cried.

Levi had already written down Eren's name. "Well, Eren fucking Jaeger, you've just landed yourself a cleaning job. You are to come in _early_ tomorrow morning and clean this entire room. Maybe the Windex will sterilize your foul mouth."

Eren scowled while the rest of the class whispered amongst themselves.

"Did the teacher just swear back?"

"This guy is obviously not from here."

Levi looked at Jean.

"Jean Kirstein." The long faced teen said boredly.

"You mean horse face." Eren spat.

Jean slammed his hand on his desk. "Eren, I swear to Go-"

"Golly!" Marco suddenly shouted.

Jean closed his mouth and sat back in his seat, realizing that Marco just saved him. Not only is swearing not allowed, but it is forbidden to say "I swear to God." It's like asking for a death sentence with the school's disciplinary staff.

"Everyone do me a favor and shut up while I'm taking attendance." Levi said, irritated. "If I hear one more wisecrack from _any _of you, the entire class will be joining Eren tomorrow morning in cleaning the classroom."

The class was dead silent. Satisfied, Levi continued taking roll.

"Annie Leonhart"

"Historia Reiss."

"Connie Springer."

"Thomas Wagner."

"Ymir."

Levi looked at Ymir curiously. "Just Ymir?"

"Yeah." The tall brunette shrugged.

"That's fine. I don't like to use my last name much either. Which means," Levi looked at the entire class. "I don't like being called Mr. Ackerman. It honestly makes me feel like an old man."

"But you _are_ an old man."

"Jaeger, stand outside in the hall." Levi glowered. "I will address you in a minute."

Sighing grouchily, Eren stood up and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

"I-I'm sorry for Eren's behavior." Armin spoke up. "He's usually not this tenacious with his rudeness. It must be because you're new here. He's not this bad with others."

"I'm sure." Levi exhaled. "Like I was saying, don't call me Mr. Ackerman. At all. I know this school wants you to, but I don't. I don't mind being informal with you all. You can call me Levi. Or Levi-sensei. Sensei is the Japanese word for teacher. The only time you will ever be using 'Ackerman-sensei' is if it is in writing. So is that clear?"

"Yeah." The class mumbled at different times.

"Good. Also, you don't have to be completely formal with me. I tend to swear, so I'll allow it. As long as you don't offend anyone too horribly. So, I have textbooks for you all in the front of the classroom. You can all grab one now and look through it if you'd like. I will be right back."

Levi walked out of the classroom and shut the door behind him. Eren was leaning against the wall with his hands stuffed in his pockets. Levi stood in front of the brunette menacingly.

"Do not test my patience, Jaeger." Levi growled. "I will not allow you to cause chaos in my class. You are the student. I am your teacher. Deal with it. If you have a bone to pick with me, save it for after school. Then I'll have no problem kicking the crap out of you, Mr. Tough Guy. You haven't seen tough. Trust me. Now get back in that damn classroom before I mess you up."

Eren brushed past Levi and stormed back inside. Levi calmly went in after him, shutting the door softly. "Does everyone have books?"

Eren angrily stomped back up to the front, grabbed the last textbook, and went back to his seat.

"Good. Write your names on the inside." Levi told them. "Okay, so let's move on…"

_**~.~.~.~.~.**_

The hour long lesson ended as soon as it started. When the bell rang, the students were all talking about how cool Levi is. As Eren walked out, Levi whispered to him. "See you at the bakery, Eren fucking Jaeger."

Eren ignored him, hurrying out with Armin.

Levi spotted Jean still packing out and Marco about to leave.

"Marco. Stay here for a sec. You too, Jean." Levi told them.

Jean sighed, and Marco just looked nervous. The two walked up to Levi, making sure they were standing at least three feet from each other.

"Get closer together so I can talk to you properly." Levi told them.

They inched closer together, not make eye contact.

"I-I know. We're not supposed to be near each other." Marco blurted out. "We're far away alphabetically, so it'll be fine!"

Levi raised a hand, silencing the freckled boy. "If you ever need a safe place to talk about your situation, or need to place for you two to be together, just let me know and you stay in here."

Jean and Marco's eyes were as wide as dinner plates. "W-What?"

"There is nothing wrong with being who you are." Levi said. "Even if no one else does, I support you 100%. As one gay to another, you can find a friend in me."

"So you're…?" Jean trailed off.

"Yes. Do not tell _anybody _about these arrangements." Levi instructed them sternly. "And be sure to tell me before class if you want to stay. I will stay too and make sure no one interferes."

Tears welled up in Marco's eyes, but he quickly blinked them away. "Is it really okay…?"

Levi nodded.

"Thank you." Marco smiled widely, looking up at Jean. "Do you mind if we stay today? We don't have to go to prayer today."

"Of course. I'll make arrangements. Now go to class." Levi smiled slightly.

Jean and Marco awkwardly said goodbye to each other before walking in opposite directions.

Levi walked to his desk chair and sat down, sighing in relief that his first and only class went relatively well. There is one bump he needs to iron out with Eren. But that was about it.

_I know I'm doing something dangerous. I could wind up in a lot of trouble by letting them meet up in here. But you can't force two people not to see each other if they don't want to. No matter what their sexual orientation is. That is unjust and discriminatory. _

Levi ran a hand through his hair. Shaking his head, Levi got on the school computer and started creating worksheets and activities for his class.

_I don't have to be at the bakery until 4, so I just wait around here until Jean and Marco come._

Levi felt uneasy as he busied himself.

_What is this sinking feeling I'm having?_

* * *

**Schoolhouse Shock. Ha… puns.**

**Levi's class is actually inspired by my own high school experiences. Not the extreme religion, but the sass you got from Eren Jaeger. You know that one kid that always tries to sass the teacher? Yeah. XD Have any of you had those teachers that didn't care if you swore? If so, high five!  
**

**Consider this chapter a 'part 1.' The next chapter will continue this idea, with Jean and Marco sharing their experience with Levi and Levi having a heart to heart with Eren, finding out why he is so angry and rebellious. Yay! And you'll find out in later chapters why this town is so crazy. I'm dropping subtle hints here and there.**

**I uploaded chapter 2 of Let's Play: Eren and Levi a few days ago, and chapter 4 of Eyes of the Beholder was posted last week, so check them out if you want~!**

**If you've liked the story so far, add this to your favorites and alerts.**

**And remember...**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**I really appreciate feedback. See you in the next one!**

**PRK**


	5. Confessions

**HUMP DAAAAAY! Sorry not sorry. XD**

**It's Wednesday, so I was like, I should make you guys happy and update! Cuz I love doing that!**

**Thank you so much for all the reviews, faves, and alerts! Muah! I appreciate them!**

**Prepare for more drama in this chapter! **

**Enjoy~  
**

* * *

_**Chapter 5 **__Confessions_

Levi tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Jean and Marco to come to his classroom. He wanted to be as discreet as possible so he wouldn't lose his job on the first day. Luckily, the classroom doors did not have windows on them. Even though that's great for Jean and Marco's meeting, Levi was a little uncomfortable with that in general. No one can see what's going on in a classroom.

The bell releasing school had rung, and kids were filing out of their last classes, laughing and talking to their friends. Jean was the first to enter Levi's classroom. He looked nervous and unsure.

"Sit in the back." Levi instructed him. "So no nobody will see you and get suspicious."

Jean nodded and did as he was told. By that time, he had broken out in a cold sweat, and he was twitching anxiously. Levi couldn't just sit there and watch Jean psych himself out.

"Jean, I promise you, everything will be okay." Levi said, facing his student. "I will go down in a blaze of glory before I let you and Marco get in any sort of trouble. And think about this. In three years, you will be eighteen. And even the small government can't stop you from leaving this place. If they tried, that would be breaking the national law."

"I don't think I can leave." Jean looked down. "My parents signed a contract with the city. Everyone's parents signed a contract. No one can move out of the city _ever_."

Levi frowned. "Even though you had nothing to do with the contract?"

"Yeah." Jean replied sadly. "Have you signed a contract, Levi?"

He shook his head. "No, I haven't. Probably because I don't live in a house of my own. I live with a friend, so I don't have an actual residence."

"You're lucky." Jean sighed. "I don't know why you would willingly choose to live here."

"I had no choice." Levi told him. "I was in bad shape before now. And actually, I'm glad I'm here. If I hadn't come, who would support you and Marco?"

Jean smiled slightly. "Yeah… I guess you're right. It's just that… Marco didn't deserve any of this. He is an angel. A saint. The sweetest person you'd ever meet. The students call him Freckled Jesus for crying out loud."

Before Levi could reply, Marco walked in, clutching his books tightly to his chest. He stared at Jean and bit his lip.

"Go on, sit in the back with him." Levi said, standing up from his desk chair to shut the door.

Marco hesitantly inched towards Jean, not sure if this was really happening or not. He refused to make eye contact with him. Jean stood up, walked up to Marco, and wrapped his arms in a tight bear hug. The only things separating them were Marco's books.

"J-Jean!" Marco yelped, his face flushed.

Jean rested his head over the shorter boy's shoulder. "I'm sorry… it's just been way too long since I've hugged you. I miss you, Marco."

"I…" Marco's cheeks turned redder. "I've missed you too."

Jean released Marco. He then looked over at Levi. "Sorry. I… I really just had the urge to hold him."

Levi waved Jean's apology off. "Don't even worry about it. Now, both of you sit down."

Jean and Marco sat in desks next to each other. Levi sat on top of one of the desks.

"Now, if you're comfortable with it, I want to hear your side of why you two can't see each other." Levi requested. "I pretty much figure that the teachers are just full of shit. I trust you guys more than I do them."

Jean looked at Marco.

"It's okay… we can tell him." Marco assured Jean. "Everyone else has the wrong idea about us. At least Mr… I mean, Levi, wants the truth."

"Okay." Jean sat up straight and faced his teacher. "It all started two years ago. Marco and I were classmates in middle school. We had been close. Best friends, even. And… it was weird." Jean looked at Marco. "I had always been attracted to girls. During that time, I had a crush on Eren's sister, Mikasa. She's bedridden at the moment, so I used to walk home with Eren and visit her every day. But something changed. I started to have weird feelings for Marco. The same feelings I had with Mikasa."

Jean reached out and took Marco's hand. "I just wanted to be with him, all the time. When we were apart, I was really gloomy. Whenever we brushed each other's hands, or I see him smile, I would get nervous and end up blushing. In eighth grade, we were alone one time. By then, I knew I had feelings for Marco. I had no idea how to express it to him. So I did what parents do. I kissed him. And luckily for me, he didn't reject me."

Marco laughed softly. "Before I met Jean, I never had feelings for girls or guys. I just never did. But, beneath all of his arrogance, cockiness, and mocking behavior, I found a great guy."

"Hey! Don't compliment and make fun of me at the same time." Jean punched Marco's arm lightly.

Levi was moved. Those kids were expressing normal signs of love. They aren't any different from any other teenagers. Why were they persecuted so harshly?"

"We… knew according to the bible, our love for each other was wrong." Marco said, downcast. "But we couldn't just walk away from our feelings. So we tried to keep our meetings a secret from everyone, even our friends. But… we were caught at the beginning of this school year."

"It was my fault." Jean squeezed his eyes shut. "I don't know what I was thinking. One afternoon, we were in the boy's bathroom. We… had started kissing, but for some reason, I had the urge to touch him. I don't know why, I just did. And Marco let out a moan, which alerted one of the teachers walking by the bathroom."

"Jean, that was not your fault." Marco told him firmly. "There was no way anyone could have predicted us getting caught. I… I was touching you too."

Levi was stunned. Has anyone talked to them about sexual impulses at all? Do they really not realize that what they did was instinctual?

"You two were just sexually frustrated, that's all." Levi said. "It's completely normal."

"Sexually… frustrated?" Marco tilted his head. "Was that really sex?"

Holy crap. No wonder he was nicknamed Freckled Jesus.

Jean looked just as confused as Marco. "What?"

"Er…" Levi didn't know what to do.

_This is not happening. Are these damn educators so far up their own asses that they didn't even bother to have a sex-ed class? How are these kids supposed to learn about their bodies and their urges if no one fucking talks to them?! Obviously the parents are just as guilty._

"Well… tell me you know the basic concepts of sex." Levi said slowly.

"Yeah. It's how a man and a woman reproduces." Marco replied.

Levi sighed in relief. "Oh thank god-"

"But that's about it. We don't know how it really works." Jean interrupted him. "Some students have some theories. Like, putting your penis in a girl's mouth. Eren saw two teachers in the teacher's lounge doing that one time after school."

Levi wanted to claw his eyes out and bang his head against the door.

"Er… no. That's not the actual process. When people do that, it's called oral sex…" Levi could not believe he is really having this conversation with fifteen year old students.

Marco and Jean looked so interested, it scared him.

"Oral sex?" Marco inquired. "So there are different kinds of sex?"

"Hah, we can tell our Sunday school teacher to shove it." Jean said gleefully. "She only said there's only one kind."

"So what were we doing?" Marco asked Levi. "Pastor Nick said that what we were doing was an abomination."

"You guys were just feeling up each other. Teens do that all the time." Levi explained. "You did nothing wrong."

"Tell me, what kinds of sex are out there?" Jean asked.

_These kids have no shame. _Levi sighed to himself._ Who could blame them? They've lived their entire lives not knowing how sex works. Not even the basic kind between a man and a woman._

"Well… there are kind of three ways to do it." Levi said uneasily. "You can do it between a man and a woman, two men, or two women." He wasn't going to get into how threesomes and foursomes work.

"Wow…" Marco said, intrigued. "They always said sex is between a man and a woman. So they're wrong?"

"We can't say if anyone is right or wrong." Levi told him. "But, you two have been discriminated against and preyed on just because you have feelings for one another. And that's where civil liberties come in. Whether you want to have sex or be in a relationship with a man or a woman is none of the church's business. They shouldn't have butt in and punished you two. You guys weren't even having sex."

Jean crossed his arms. "The church didn't just prey on us. Some of the students did too. Including Jaeger."

Levi was surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah." Marco replied unhappily. "And I don't understand why. All three of us were good friends. Sure, Jean and Eren horsed around a lot-"

"Marco!"

"No pun intended."

"Fine."

"They teased each other a lot, but we were all still the best of friends." Marco continued. "So I don't know what happened. I guess he just doesn't believe in homosexuality."

Levi was not happy. _Jaeger is the most rebellious and the most likely to break any kind of rule. I would have thought that he would have supported them the most. What's his problem? I guess I'll talk to him later._

"So… how does sex work between two guys?" Jean piped up.

_Oh god…_

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**_

By the time Jean and Marco left for home, Levi had taught them the birds and the bees and everything in between.

"When I was fifteen, all of the guys were horny little bastards that told dirty jokes whenever they could." Levi muttered, slipping on his jacket. "These kids don't even know what horny _means_."

Levi locked the classroom door behind him before leaving the school. On his way out, he could see Eren leaving the library.

"Eren." Levi called out to him.

The brunette looked up for a second. After seeing who it was, Eren kept walking.

"Eren, _stop_." Levi commanded sternly.

Sighing in frustration, Eren stopped walking. "What the fuck do you want, Levi?" He snapped. "I have shit to do."

"Eren, everyone knows you don't do your homework." Levi replied snippily. "So quit trying to bullshit me."

After closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Eren walked over to Levi. "What?"

"You and I are going to take a little stroll." Levi told him. "I need to talk to you about Marco and Jean."

Eren stiffened. "What about them?"

"Walk with me."

The two left the school building. Levi decided to come back and retrieve his motorcycle later. He had pressing matters to deal with.

The two were quiet for a few minutes as they headed towards the bakery.

"Why do you bully Marco and Jean?" Levi asked.

"I-I don't bully them!" Eren shouted defensively. "They brought their misfortune upon themselves."

"For what, being gay?" Levi pressed.

Eren was silent for a few seconds. "…yeah." Eren mumbled.

"Eren, you _can't_ bring your sexual orientation upon yourself. You're either born straight, or you're born gay. They just happened to figure it out at an unfortunate time and age." Levi replied. "And you, Eren, should know exactly how they feel. You yearn for freedom. To live life however you want. So you picking on them is a direct contradiction to your own attitude. That's why I think there's a different reason why you're messing with them."

Eren refused to make eye contact with Levi. "Oh, so you think you suddenly know me or something?" He asked condescendingly.

"No. But I observe." Levi replied. "So tell me. Why are you bullying them? What could you possibly gain by making their lives even more miserable? Do you have an ulterior motive? Like for example… you have feelings for one of them?"

"What?!" Eren's face flushed. "No. _Fuck_ no! I'm not gay! And I don't have feelings for either of them! _Especially _horse face! It's his fault that I have to-"

Eren stopped talking, realizing that he revealed too much.

"What did Jean ever do to you?" Levi inquired. "What could he have done that was so horrible that you feel the need to go so low and torment him and his crush?"

"He broke my sister's heart, alright?" Eren shouted.

Levi's eyebrows flew up. "Mikasa? What? He told me that he used to have a crush on her… oh." He finally put two and two together.

"At first, Mikasa rejected his feelings." Eren clenched his fists. "And she had good reason to. He was acting like a fool, and she thought he was taking advantage of her since she has to stay in bed. She thought he was just joking around. But gradually… she softened up to him. She realized that he was being serious. So, when the school year began, she planned on telling him that she accepted his feelings.

"But… he never came by again. Then when the entire school found out about Marco and Jean, I did my best to keep it a secret from her, but it was no use. She had talked on the phone with Sasha. Sasha didn't know that Mikasa now had feelings for Jean. She was devastated."

Eren stopped walking. "I'll never forgive him for that. He is now and will always be my enemy."

Levi sighed. "Wow… you really are an immature brat."

"Shut up!" Eren seethed. "Says who?"

"Says me." Levi retorted. "What do you think would have happened if Jean and Mikasa got together? Once you're born, you can never change your sexual preference. In Jean's case, he may be attracted to both men and women, seeing as he was attracted to girls before he and Marco got serious. But obviously his feelings for Marco overpowered his for Mikasa's. I'm telling you now, if he and Mikasa got together, there would be two results. Either he would have been seeing Marco behind her back, or he would have broken up with her eventually. Jean and Marco saved Mikasa a lot of heartache."

Eren trembled. "But… my sister…"

"That is _no _reason to take your anger out on them. They did Mikasa a favor." Levi frowned. "As your teacher, and as a guy giving out some advice, I suggest you apologize to them tomorrow. I'm going to let you guys sit wherever you want, but I want you to sit near Jean and Marco. From what I've been told, you guys used to be great friends. Don't let their biological fondness for each other get in the way of that. Accept it, and love them anyway."

"…fine." Eren muttered.

Levi couldn't help but smile a little at the breakthrough. These teens don't need church probation, strict teachers, and the bible shoved down their throats. They just need someone to _talk_ to them. Communication must be a rare delicacy, because no one talks about love and acceptance. Wasn't the main lesson Jesus tried to teach to his people love?

If Levi had someone to just talk to him and not threaten to kill him, he would have turned out a lot better than he did. If you talk, they will listen. Of course, he's not the most patient guy in the world. So if they don't listen, whack them on the head. Or maybe that's just Levi's style.

"Is it true you guys call Marco 'Freckled Jesus'?" Levi asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Eren broke out into a smile. "Heh… yeah. It's because he's always so nice and stuff. He and Historia are both the saints of the school. Sometimes we call her Virgin Mary."

"Pfff…!" Levi did his best to hold back his laughter. "Oh, god… you guys are weird in your own religious sort of way."

"Yeah." The two reached the bakery.

Carla was in front, wiping down the counter.

"Eren! Welcome home- oh, and Levi!" She greeted, spotting Levi with her son.

"Hey. I'll be in Mikasa's room if you need me." Eren said, running up the stairs.

Carla stared behind him, gawking.

"…what's wrong?" Levi asked her.

"He… he never speaks to me when he gets home." Carla replied, still in shock. "Eren usually just ignores my greeting and runs to his room. This is the first time he has responded in months."

Levi cleared his throat. "That reminds me… how often do you and Eren sit down and just talk to each other?"

Carla was surprised at the sudden question. "Honestly… never. Either I'm too busy down here running the bakery, or Eren shuts his door and refuses to come out. The only person he really talks to is Mikasa." She looked down sadly. "We used to be inseparable. But now… he shuts me out."

"I don't want you to think I'm giving you parenting advice, but you should really try to talk to him at least once a day." Levi suggested. "He's a troubled and distant kid. Most teenagers get like that. I was. And even today, I'm distant. That's because my parents never gave a fuck about me. They didn't bother talking to me at all. If you show Eren that you are willing to give up time for him, despite your busy work schedule, he will open up to you again. I promise."

With that, Levi went upstairs to hang up his coat. "I'll be back so I can get work, Carla."

Carla thought about what Levi just told her. _He's absolutely right. I'll do my best, Levi._

Levi poked his head out from above the stairway.

"Oh, and be sure to give him the sex talk." He added. "The teachers aren't gonna do it, and we don't want him to watch the same teachers give a demonstration of how it works in the school's lounge."

"What?!" Carla gasped.

Before she could question him further, Levi disappeared back upstairs.

* * *

**Yay! Levi was the best thing to ever happen to Shiganshina. XD**

**Two words will describe the next chapter: lesbians and tornadoes. You probably already know which two girls I'm talking about. ;) But what do tornadoes have to do with anything? You'll see next chapter. Let's just say that the plot will thicken when Levi's class reveal some stuff to him.**

**You will also meet the "crazy biology teacher." Guess who?**

**If you've enjoyed this so far, add this to your favorites and alerts. And remember…**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**See you in the next one!**

**PRK**


	6. Twisted part 1

**Hey guys! Thank you so much for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! I love you all.  
**

**Speaking of reviews, everyone expressed how excited they were for Hanji to make an appearance. Well… I have some bad news. This chapter went in a different direction then what I had anticipated, so her first appearance won't happen until chapter 8. I'm sorry! Please forgive me! But when she does maker her appearance, it will make **_**so**_** much sense, I swear. **

**Also, the tornado is not in this chapter. This is a two part section since the original chapter would have been way too long and taken forever. **

**There is a ton of plot in here. It will be focusing on the relationships between the students, the relationship between Ymir and Historia, and of course the relationship between Levi and his students.**

**Levi and his class will be speaking some Japanese in this chapter. And of course, I did not use a translator. I am not translating on here, since that will make my author's notes longer than they already are. I sneak in translations in the story, so you can catch on. So if you want me to translate something, let me know and I'll send you a PM. :3**

**Enjoy the chapter~!**

* * *

_**Chapter 6 **__Twisted part 1  
_

_**Two months later…**_

"Kyou, omae-tachi ha geemu wo asonde iru." Levi addressed his class.

Everyone's eyes brightened.

"A game, really? We never play games!" Sasha squealed.

Levi sighed. He expected that kind of reaction. Slowly but surely, he was going to expose his students to different methods of learning.

"'We never play games' nan desu ka?" Levi gave her a knowing look.

"Er… Zenzen watashi-tachi ha geemu wo asobanai." Sasha said slowly.

"Ii desu yo." Levi nodded.

Even though he would never admit it, Levi was surprised how quickly his class caught on to Japanese. He had a class of bright students, and he was secretly proud. However, he noticed a few of his students never participated, like Historia, Armin, and Eren. He knows all three of them are smart. To make sure everyone got a chance to display their learned skills, Levi decided to come up with an activity for their current unit.

Levi imagined that Historia and Armin never raised their hand because they were shy. Levi couldn't figure out why Eren was so silent.

Levi glanced at the aforementioned brunette. He wasn't paying attention. Eren was busy spinning his pencil around his fingers, a bored look on his face. Levi scowled. Eren's attitude from two months ago changed tremendously. Before, he would talk to Levi all the time. But now, just like with his mother, he grew distant.

Levi cleared his throat, bringing his attention back to the rest of his students. "So, I am going to assign you into four groups of three. The reason why I'm choosing groups is so everyone's skill can be put to good use. I'm going to name them off."

Levi grabbed his list he wrote before class started. "Group 1: Connie, Jean, and Eren. Group 2: Marco, Armin, and Historia. Group 3: Annie, Sasha, and Bertolt. And Group 4: Reiner, Thomas, and Ymir."

Eren rolled his eyes at Jean. Jean just smirked.

"Okay, everyone get up and follow me. We're going to the gymnasium." Levi told them.

Everyone awkwardly got with their groups and followed their teacher. Levi knew certain people never talked to others, so he purposefully put them together. Levi, being the intellect he is, observed all of his student's personalities.

Connie's assertiveness might be able to hinder Jean and Eren's usual bickering. Annie and Bertolt are quiet people. Sasha's cheerfulness might be able to get them to talk.

Reiner is confident and friendly, but he doesn't hang out with anyone except Annie and Bertolt. Teaming with Thomas and Ymir may help him make new friends, and his and Thomas' approachability may get Ymir to talk to someone other than Historia.

Armin, Marco, and Historia are the shiest of the shy. All three of them are separated from the one person they feel comfortable with. Armin and Marco haven't talked much since it was known that he and Jean were gay. Since Marco is more sociable than the other two, his easygoing nature might help him build teamwork.

Levi smiled smugly to himself, glad that he was able to do this.

Meanwhile, his students were bewildered.

"I wonder why we're going to the gym." Sasha pondered, looking at Bertolt and Annie.

Bertolt's bashfulness caused him to remain silent. Annie sighed.

"Probably to run or some shit." She deadpanned.

Sasha gasped loudly, her eyes widening. "No… no! Not running! My gym teacher Mr. Shadis had me run the entire time yesterday for eating a potato! No more!"

Bertolt chuckled slightly at Sasha's dramatic exclamation. "Levi said it was a game, so I doubt its running."

Sasha sighed in relief. "Whew! I was worried there for a sec."

Eren and Jean glanced at each other.

"I can't believe he made us be on the same team." Eren muttered. "I may have called a truce with you with Mikasa, but we are still rivals."

Jean smirked. "Why, because you know I would have beaten you?"

"As if, twinkle toes. I've always been better at you at competitions." Eren rolled his eyes.

Connie looked back at Jean and Eren, annoyed. "In sixth grade, you got fifth place at the spelling bee, and Jean got sixth. That hardly counts."

Jean laughed while Eren pouted.

"None of that matters. This is just a game so we can get better at Japanese. And besides, we won't even _win_ the game if you two don't shut up."

"Okay, shrimp." Eren grinned mockingly, patting the short teen on the head.

"That's _jumbo_ shrimp to you." Connie huffed.

Levi listened in on the various conversations. Reiner, Thomas, and Ymir were chatting about teachers they didn't like. Armin, Marco, and Historia were completely silent. He hoped this would work. He didn't want a dull class.

Once they arrived at the gym, Levi was relieved that the props he gathered this morning were still there.

"Levi… are you living in the gym or something? Why are there so many chairs?" Ymir asked, raising an eyebrow.

Levi clicked his tongue. "No. This is the game. I put you into four groups of three for a reason. This will determine whether or not you paid attention to our unit: directions. You will create an obstacle course with these chairs. However, you will not be making your own. You will make one for the other team."

Jean and Eren smirked at each other, ready to wreak havoc.

Levi walked over to one of the chairs and picked up a stack of signs. "You will be signs on the chairs, determining where the one person going through the course goes. Of course, the other two team members will be relaying that message in Japanese, as your third member will be blindfolded."

He held up four blindfolds. "There will be three rounds, so everyone has a chance to participate. And remember, you must work together as a _team_ in order to win. Two team members will simultaneously tell your blindfolded teammate where to go. One person will not do all of the work. I have very keen hearing, so I _will _know if someone is cheating." Levi stared at Eren.

"Don't look at me!" Eren snapped, his face flushing. "I don't cheat!"

"Yeah, and I'm an idiot." Levi rolled his eyes. "Both of our statements are obviously false. Now, I have numbered off each column of chairs with your group number. So, go set up someone else's column with the signs and chairs. You have five minutes."

Everyone scrambled to other team columns, thinking of some way to make the obstacle so difficult that everyone will mess up. Marco, Armin, and Historia were the only ones who made a fair course, and it happened to be for Reiner's group. Eren's group, however, did their best to destroy Sasha's group any chance of winning. Sasha's group snuck over to their course and did some potential damage. Sasha even hid a potato under one of the chairs.

Levi put a hand over his mouth to hide his amused smile. They really are acting like typical freshmen. He was relieved that the school didn't brainwash them completely.

"Alright teams, send one of your members up. We don't want them getting a good look at the courses."

The teams sent Connie, Bertolt, Reiner, and Armin up to Levi. He quickly blindfolded them and guided them back to their respective teams.

"Remember, only give them the direction the arrow on the sing says. Don't say 'left' when it actually says 'down'. Jya… hajimemashou!"

Eren and Jean looked at the first chair. The arrow said to go… up?

"Shit, how do they expect Connie to go _over_ a chair blindfolded?" Jean hissed.

"We'll cross the bridge… er, chair, when we get there. First we have to tell him to go straight." Eren replied.

"Okay, I'll start." Jean volunteered. "Connie! Massugu ni itte!"

"Ok." Connie walked forward. He never stopped, and was about to run into the chair.

"Damn, I forgot how to say stop." Eren told Jean.

Eren could feel Levi's eyes boring holes into him, so he quickly tried to remember how to say 'I forgot."

"Uh… boku ha 'stop' wasurerimashita." Eren said.

"'Yamete' desu." Jean replied.

"Connie, uh, yamete!" Eren called to his friend.

Connie stopped just before colliding with the chair. Jean thought about how to say 'go over the chair.'

"Isu no jou ni itte." Jean said slowly.

"What?" Connie cried. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Itte!" Jean said.

Sighing, Connie felt around for the chair. After getting a firm hold on the chair, Connie struggled to swing his legs over the back of it. It was a comical sight. Marco and Historia looked at Connie then at each other and giggled while Armin tried his best to go under a chair.

Ten minutes into the course, only one group was finished. It was Ymir's group, since Armin's group went easy on their obstacles. They were standing next to Levi, chortling at the other teams' struggles.

"Connie, isu no shita ni itte!" Eren shouted at Connie, who was a little far away.

It was the last chair he had to go under. Connie knelt down and felt around as he went under. As he was crawling, his hands touched a warm object with what felt like lumpy skin.

"What the hell is this?!" Connie cried, shoving the object away.

He could hear Sasha laughing in the background. He then realized it was a potato.

"Damn you, potato girl!" Connie shouted.

Connie finally made it through and stood up, yanking the blindfold off of his face. He wanted to see what made his trip and stumble so much for ten minutes. His mouth dropped open when he saw that there were only five chairs on the path.

"That was it?!" Connie cried, shocked. "It felt much longer than that!"

"That's what your mom said, bitch!" Ymir shouted from the sidelines.

"Damn it, I walked into that one." Connie stormed back to his snickering teammates.

When everyone eventually finished, Levi walked back over to his students.

"I hope we all learned a lesson in trying to sabotage other people." Levi smirked. "So for the next round, make sure to be fair. Always try to be fair, especially while living in such a bigoted place. There may be a time when you have to devious to survive, but don't let it be today. So set up for round two."

Eren gazed at Levi before walking away with his teammates. _Looks like the old man was right. He isn't an idiot._

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

By the end of the class, everyone was talking to everyone. Levi had to tell them to shut up several times as they walked back to class, as they were just so happy and friendly to one another. Even Annie was talking to Eren. Levi was satisfied with the results of the exercise. These kids were different than any of the others in the school. They had flaws, and didn't even bother trying to hide them. He admired that. If anyone would start making changes not only in the school, but in town, it would be led by his twelve students.

After the bell rang, Ymir and Historia purposefully stayed behind until everyone left. They noticed Jean and Marco holding hands briefly before parting ways. Historia bit her lip, looking up at the taller brunette uncertainly. Ymir gave her a comforting gaze before grabbing her hand and tugging her along to see Levi.

"Uh, Levi." Ymir called.

Levi looked up from his computer at them. "Yes?"

Historia hid behind Ymir nervously.

"We… noticed how Jean and Marco have no trouble being around each other in class, and showing affection like holding hands and stuff. You're the reason for that, correct?" Ymir asked.

Levi's eyes narrowed. "Who's asking?"

"I am… we are." Ymir pulled Historia out from behind her. "Because if you are the reason… we want to confide in you too."

Levi's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He already figured Ymir like Historia, but he never thought that Historia returned her feelings.

"Come see me after school." He told them. "Jean and Marco are coming as well. We'll talk then. And you _must_ keep this a secret, or else you, Historia, Jean, Marco and I are doomed. Wakaru?"

"Wakatta." Ymir replied in Japanese, saluting Levi. "We'll be here. Come on, Historia."

"T-Thank you, Levi." Historia bowed her head slightly before leaving with the tall girl.

Levi rubbed his temples, exhaling deeply. He felt like punching something. He figured there would be more closeted gays in this school than people let on. The fact that they have to hide it frustrated Levi. He wished there was more he could do for them, but the laws are so tough and exact, he fails to see how. If only there was some way to raise reasonable doubt within the people here…

Deciding to ponder that later, Levi got back to work planning his lessons.

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

"…"

The air was heavy with tension. Jean and Marco sat far away from Ymir and Historia later that day. The friendly atmosphere from this morning vanished completely.

Levi stared at them. "Why the hell are you four so quiet? I'm sure you've realized by now that all you guys have something in common, right?"

The four reluctantly looked at Levi, then at each other.

"Sit closer together, all of you. Let's talk about this." Levi said, closing his classroom door.

His four students shuffled, sitting together silently.

Levi sat down in front of them. "Ymir and Historia, I'm sure you know Jean and Marco's history. They were found out. But… I doubt anyone knows about you two. This is a confidential meeting, so it's okay to tell us."

Historia looked down, ashamed. "Well… I…"

"There's no need to be afraid or ashamed." Jean spoke up. "After Marco and I told Levi what was going on, he's been a huge help supporting our relationship. He can't help you unless you tell him your circumstances."

"Yes, we're lesbians." Ymir finally said. "I've known it my entire life. I've always been attracted to girls, but of course, I couldn't tell anybody. I would have been condemned even worse than I have been."

Ymir looked at Historia, encouraging her to share when she knew.

"I… never knew." Historia whispered. "Not until spending a lot of time with Ymir. Even though people think of me as an angel, I never really had any friends. But Ymir was the only one who saw me for who I really am. A year ago, she confessed to me that she was gay. I didn't what to think about it. I was always taught that it was wrong. But I decided to accept her, as she has done for me. I didn't realize I had feelings for her until two months ago. I was scared, so scared of what my parents would do if they found out, so I refrained from telling her… until yesterday."

Historia's lips trembled, trying to hold back her tears. "I felt happy, but now I feel fear. I don't want to be found out like Jean and Marco. My parents will…"

Ymir put a hand on Historia's back. "Calm down. We're safe here."

The tall girl looked up at Levi. "Historia and I come from different backgrounds. Her family is one of the wealthiest in Shiganshina, and is close with the government. They are heavily influential. Her parents clearly do not have any love for her. They watch her every move, making sure she does nothing 'sinful' to ruin their family and wealth. That's why she acts like an angel all the time, willing to kiss her teachers' asses to get in their good favor."

Historia nodded, wiping some tears that managed to escape its duct. "I must be the perfect daughter, otherwise the people of Shiganshina will look at and question the government's morals. Then, they might out my parent's secret. There has been peace here for years. I can't bring myself to ruin it for my selfish love for Ymir. I just can't."

Historia choked back a sob. "My parents hate me already, claiming I was a mistake. Where my parents are originally from, abortion was illegal, so they had no choice but to have me."

"You are not a mistake." Levi said firmly. "If you can't find any worth in yourself, then who else will?"

"That's what I try to tell her." Ymir pulled Historia into a tight embrace, feeling her tears roll onto her uniform shirt.

"I thought of myself as worthless as well when I was your age." Levi said. "I wasn't in a corrupt family like you, but my parent didn't love me either. They even condemned me for being gay."

"You're… gay too?" Ymir's eyes widened.

"Yeah. But because I didn't have any self-esteem, I let myself go into a storm of despair. I did things I'm not proud of, and I'm still learning to love myself. It's harder to do so when you're older, so do it now. Find comfort in the love you and Ymir have. Because I'm telling you now, in the end, it will be just you two."

Historia raised her head up from Ymir's chest. "Okay… I'll try." She sniffled.

Levi patted Historia on the head and looked at Ymir. "So what about you?"

Ymir's eyes were dull. "My parents aren't even parents. They're good-for-nothings that stay at home and argue. Whenever they go out of town on 'vacation', I'm left at home. They always bring back cigarettes and beer that they hide in their car. It all runs out in about a week. I have to work five days a week to support myself and my parents. In fact, if I told my parents I was gay, they wouldn't give a fuck. They need me to bring money to the house."

"It was hard finding a job, since the whole town thinks I'm a fucking bum, man. I'm stuck cleaning toilets and shit. As a result, I rarely have time to study and do homework. The teachers call me dumb and incompetent. They've called my parents, but they don't do anything of course. When they're drunk though, they always attempt to beat me up. When they do, I leave the house for a couple of days, hiding in Historia's basement."

Ymir looked at Historia lovingly. "She always takes me in when I need to escape my parents. I can't call the police and ruin the delusional peace here. Historia sneaks me food and water. Actually, that's how we met."

Historia blushed. "We met three years ago. I was careless and left a window on the first floor of the mansion open. Ymir was searching for refuge somewhere, and found my window open. She snuck her way to the basement. The next day, I went down to there to clean, and I found her. I recognized her from one of my classes in middle school. Even though I should have been scared… I wasn't."

"You were so much smaller back then! It was so cute!" Ymir squealed. "Right when I laid eyes on you that day, I fell in love!"

Historia hid her face in her hands. "Ymir!" Her cry was muffled.

Marco smiled warmly at the two. "You guys… you're so happy together. I hope one day, all four us won't have to hide who we are. Or should I say… all _five_ of us." He redirected his smile to Levi.

He nodded in appreciation at Marco. "One day, we will."

He looked at Ymir. "Ymir, you are not dumb and incompetent. You are very smart. When do you have to work?"

"From four-thirty until eleven." She sighed. "I try to study on the weekends, but that's difficult. My parents don't allow me to have any sort of peace."

Levi checked his watch. It was four o'clock. "Do you usually go straight home?"

"No. This is the little time I have to spend with Historia. We usually hide out in the courtyard of this school." Ymir replied. "I don't want to damage her reputation even more than I have."

Levi tapped his chin. "Do you mind eating lunch in a classroom?"

Ymir shrugged. "I usually don't eat lunch. And Historia and I don't have lunch at the same time."

"How about you come here?" Levi suggested. "I can help you study then. I just wish there was some way you don't have to work. You're so young."

"Not really." Ymir looked away. "I'm actually seventeen. In middle school, I failed sixth grade because I missed so much school. I missed school because I had a virus. My parents couldn't afford a doctor for me, so I was bedridden for weeks. Dr. Jaeger was out of town then, so we couldn't even call him."

Historia snuggled closer to Ymir. "She's so strong and fearless. I can't imagine living in her shoes."

"I can't imagine living in your shoes either." Ymir lightly tapped Historia on the nose. "I guess that's why we're together. We both come from terrible conditions, but we're able to love each other. I think that's really special, don't ya think?"

Historia smiled softly. "Yeah."

After talking with Jean and Marco for a few more minutes, Ymir had to go to work.

"Ymir, are you taking up my offer?" Levi asked.

"I sure am. No one calls me dumb and gets away with it. I'll show them." Ymir grinned. "Thanks, Levi."

Jean and Marco exchanged hugs with Ymir and Historia before walking out, glad they have friends that can relate to them.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Historia." Ymir said, encasing her girlfriend's hand with her own.

"Okay." Historia blushed.

Ymir bent down and kissed Historia on her forehead. Historia's face reddened even more, surprised at the sudden gesture.

"I love you." Ymir murmured. "And I want our first kiss to happen when we're finally free to express ourselves."

Running a hand through Historia's blond hair, Ymir gave her one last gaze before leaving for her job.

Historia stood there for a moment before bursting with happiness. "Ymir really loves me…"

"She does." Levi said, getting ready to leave as well. "Cherish her, and don't let anyone or anything break you two apart. Understand?"

"Yes." Historia replied bubbly. She half-skipped out of Levi's classroom. Levi closed the door behind himself as he prepared to head to the bakery. As he walked outside, he felt the wind picking up considerably.

"Huh, there must be a storm coming." Levi muttered, revving up his motorcycle.

As he started down his usual route, he spotted Eren walking quickly in the same direction. He slowed down until he was at the same pace.

"The wind is about to knock you over." Levi smirked. "Want a ride?"

"Ha ha." Eren spat. "No, I'm fine- gah!"

The strong winds moved Eren westward, causing him to fall on Levi.

"Are you sure?" Levi snickered.

"Ugh, fine!" Eren snapped.

Not sure how exactly to get on a motorcycle, Eren awkwardly swung one leg over and sat down, uncomfortable with how close he was to Levi.

"You'll have to hold on to me, Jaeger." Levi told him. "Unless you want to fall off and hit your head."

Eren muttered curses under his breath as he tentatively placed his hands on Levi's sides. Levi sped off, causing Eren to instinctively wrap his arms fully around Levi and cling onto him tightly. Levi smiled slightly when he felt Eren's head rest on his back.

"This is so cool." Levi heard Eren murmur.

Levi went a little faster, making Eren hold on even tighter. A foreign feeling crept up Levi's chest. His heart rate picked up slightly. Levi ignored it, deciding to think about all of his students.

_So many good kids, but no one appreciates them. But I do. They remind me of myself so much, it hurts. They're not bad in any sense. Just a little misguided. I have to find out why they're drinking and smoking marijuana at such an age. Maybe then… I can help them more so they won't turn out like me._

* * *

**That is it for part 1 of this "Twisted" plot! Tornado next chapter. And Hanji in chapter 8, I swear! And it will all make so much sense! I promise you! I hope the Ymir x Historia fluff and the slight Riren made up for it. What is Ymir and Historia's fan name anyway? XD  
**

**If you've enjoyed this so far, add this to your favorites and alerts. And remember…**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**See you in the next one!**

**PRK**


	7. Twisted part 2

**Hey guys! I am not dead! As I explained in the Eyes of the Beholder update, I started college, and I was unable to update anything. And as a result, there will be no more PLANNED weekly updates. Updates will be based around my homework schedule. We'll see how it goes.  
**

**I stayed up most of the night to write this for you guys! That's how much I love you. :3**

**Aaaaaaand welcome to one of the most crucial chapters in this story! Prepare for plot twists and other twistedness (hah, see what I did there)! But… you guys don't care because you're all pissed that Hanji wasn't in the previous chapter. XD She'll make her appearance in the next one!**

**Thank you for the reviews, faves and alerts! :D**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

_**Chapter 7 **__Twisted part 2_

The next day, Levi walked to school, actually looking forward to his job. He finally felt like he was making a difference in the lives of so many people.

"Isabel… Furlan… if you're watching from up there, I hope I'm making you proud." Levi murmured.

The winds have picked up speed overnight, and it has rained. The weather had the telltale signs of a tornado. As a result, Levi decided to leave his motorcycle in Erwin's garage. At least it had a lesser chance of getting thrown through the air.

Levi felt a few drops of water land on his nose.

"Oh, great." Levi muttered.

He opened his bag to take out a navy blue umbrella. He opened it just in time, as rain started to pour down. He picked up the pace of his walk, being careful not to step in any newly formed puddles.

When Levi passed the Maria Bakery, Eren was just leaving. He spotted Levi rather comically stepping over puddles. Smiling, Eren pulled up the hood of his jacket and ran to catch up with his teacher.

"Levi!" Eren called.

Levi stopped, sighing. He should have expected something like this to happen.

"I see you don't have your motorcycle. I guess you've decided to mingle with the commoners, huh?" Eren joked.

"Don't get smart, brat." Levi scowled. "We're not on school grounds. I can kick your ass right here."

"But then you'll be out of the protection of your precious umbrella." Eren sneered.

Levi rolled his eyes. "Just because I like to always be presentable, unlike _you_, doesn't mean I can't get dirty if I chose to."

"And I'm important enough for you to do such a thing?" Eren grinned.

"…" Levi resumed his walking. "I'm through talking to you."

"Oh, come onnn!" Eren followed him. "Before, I wouldn't talk at all. Thanks to your little activity yesterday, I feel like talking to everyone all the time."

"Then I made a terrible mistake." Levi muttered. "But what's the real reason you're so chatty today?"

Eren looked away. "I… really appreciate you actually giving a fuck about us. You're the only teacher that does. The way you talk to us and teach us proves it. I guess… I'm just really happy you're my teacher."

Levi's eyes widened in surprise. "Is that so? I thought you hated my guts."

Eren winced. "I did for a while. But… that's only because I thought you'd rat us out about our partying. I thought you were just like the other adults in this damn town. But you're not. After your activity yesterday, I realized that you do actually care. So… thanks."

In order to escape eye contact with Levi, Eren walked faster.

Levi didn't know what to say. Did he really manage to gain Eren's trust? And for that matter, why was gaining Eren's trust so important to him in the first place? His other students are just as important.

Shaking his head, Levi continued his leisurely walk to school, not caring that the wind was knocking him around.

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

"What took you so long?" Eren asked.

Eren was leaning against the door to the Japanese classroom when Levi approached it. Armin was standing next to him.

"Ohayougozaimasu, Levi." Armin greeted, bowing to his sensei.

"Ohayougozaimasu." Levi replied, ignoring Eren's question. He unlocked the classroom door. "Both of you are rather early today. What's up?"

"We didn't want to walk in the storm, so we got up early." Armin replied. "Most of us do. There's a great chance for a tornado later today. The last thing we want is to arrive to school soaked and with leaves stuck to our clothes."

"I see." Levi walked inside, Eren and Armin right behind him. "You guys remember the tornado drill, right?"

"Of course we do." Eren rolled his eyes. "It's not hard. We just stay in this classroom since it doesn't have windows."

"I know it's simple. It's just that knowing you, you'd forget something so crucial." Levi smirked.

"Ha ha." Eren said dryly, sitting down at his desk. "I'm not an idiot, you know."

Levi and Armin just stared at him.

"Fine!" Eren snapped, crossing his arms. "I'm not an idiot _most_ of the time."

"That's better." Armin laughed lightly.

At that moment, Ymir and Historia walked inside the classroom, talking excitedly. As soon as Historia saw Eren and Armin, she immediately stopped, silently walking past them to sit down. Ymir sighed before taking her seat next to her.

Eren and Armin looked at each other, confused as to why their presence ruined their conversation. Levi glanced at the two girls. He hated that they even had to hide their relationship from their own friends. Levi was lucky that he had two friends in school that he was able to confide in about his homosexuality. But now…

"Ohayoooouuu!" Connie burst in the classroom with Sasha, greeting Levi loudly.

Levi's eyes darkened. "Is that how you greet your sensei?"

Connie jumped, scared. "Oh, uh, no. Lemme try that again."

Connie walked back out of the classroom. He stood at the doorway and bowed. "Ohayougozaimasu, Levi."

"That's better." Levi waved him inside.

"Ohayougozaimasu!" Sasha smiled, bowing as well. "Since there is a possibility that we may trapped in this class for a while if a tornado really does touch down, I brought a bunch of potatoes for everyone."

Sure enough, when Sasha opened her schoolbag, it was filled with potatoes. Levi stared at her, unamused.

"Did you bring any school supplies with you?" He asked.

"Nope!" Sasha grinned.

Levi rubbed his forehead. "…Sasha, suwatte kudasai."

Sasha quickly sat down next to Connie.

"Hey potato girl, I think you broke Levi." Connie snickered.

"I dunno why. Maybe he's hungry." Sasha shrugged. "I feel broken when I'm hungry."

"We know." Connie rolled his eyes.

By the time school officially started, everyone was seated at their desk. Just as Armin said, his classmates arrived early to escape the wrath of the storm. Levi was impressed. When the bell rang, Levi stood up in front of the class.

"Kiritsu!" Marco called.

The entire class stood.

"Rei!"

All of the students bowed and said "Onegai shimasu" in unison.

"Chakuseki."

Everyone sat down. Just before Levi could talk, the PA system turned on.

"God fucking damn it." Levi muttered.

"Attention all students and faculty." Dot Pixis' voice said over the mic. "It has been confirmed that a tornado has formed in the neighboring capital Trost. Our meteorologists predict that the tornado will arrive in Shiganshina in approximately one hour. All students are to remain in their period one class until further notice. Teachers, continue your lessons as planned. Thank you."

Levi stared at his students. "So… who wants to not have class today?"

As expected, everyone raised their hands.

"I thought so." Levi said, amused. "So, instead of having a lecture, let's have a chat."

Levi pulled his desk over to the desks and sat down, crossing his legs. "So, you all and I have known each other for three months now. By a show of hands, how many of you feel like you can trust me?"

Slowly, the entire class' hands went up.

"That's good. Because as your teacher, it's my job to make sure you guys are okay." Levi exhaled deeply. "So, since you trust me, let's say I know something about all of you that you would rather not talk about. Would you mind me bringing it up today to discuss?"

Jean, Marco, and Historia looked frightened. Ymir glared at Levi.

"It's a collective thing. Not individual." Levi clarified, putting the four students at ease.

"Er… I don't see why not?" Sasha looked at everyone else.

"Sure. I'd like to see what we all have in common." Annie shrugged. "I doubt it's much."

Eren sat there, thinking hard. Suddenly, he realized what Levi was possibly going to talk about.

"Wait! No!" Eren stood up suddenly. "Levi!"

Levi stared Eren down. "What?"

"Don't you dare…!" Eren glowered fiercely at the older man.

"Eren, I thought you trusted me." Levi replied mockingly. "So if you don't, then sit in the very back and shut up. Since I actually give a fuck about you guys, this must be discussed."

Armin looked at Eren with wide eyes, also realizing what Levi was going to bring up. "Eren…"

Eren balled his fists. With great reluctance, he sat back down in his seat. "Fine!" He snapped.

"Wait… what's going on here?" Reiner frowned. "Why is he freaking out?"

Everyone waited for an explanation. Levi sighed.

"Eren has been protecting all of you for months now. From what he thought was a threat; me." Levi began.

Armin hid his face in his hands. _This is the end…_

"And before I continue, I would like to say that none of you are in trouble with me." Levi said. "Understand? This will all be kept confidential."

"Okay…? What are we not in trouble with you about?" Ymir inquired.

"I stumbled upon one your underground parties." Levi confessed. "The one you had in December."

At that moment, everyone's eyes were filled with fear.

"Oh no…" Historia wailed. "No…!"

"Goddamn it!" Connie glared at Jean. "Jean, you were first shift on lookout! What the hell were you doing?!"

Jean gulped. "Uh… I-I don't remember ever seeing Levi!"

"Probably because he was drunk." Ymir scoffed. "Again."

"I tried to tell you all Jean was incompetent." Annie sighed.

"Hey! What the hell?!" Jean scowled at the blond girl. "It was Christmas, damn it! So I slipped up one time."

"We were not supposed to slip up at all, stupid!" Sasha shouted.

"You have no right to _me_ stupid, potato girl!" Jean sneered. "Don't you remember? _You _were the one that gave me the beer in the first place."

Everyone redirected their anger to Sasha.

"Good going." Ymir gritted her teeth.

"Don't put the blame on me!" Sasha defended herself.

"You know you're not supposed to hand out the beer to those on watch duty." Bertolt scolded her.

"Now we're all screwed." Thomas moaned.

"Wait!" Sasha cried. "How could Jean remember _I_ gave him beer, but he can't remember ever seeing Levi?!"

As everyone griped and argued, Marco, the only one who never went to the parties, sat there in confusion.

"Party… beer…? What's going on?" Marco asked, looking at Jean.

"Eren, you knew about this?!" Jean pointed at the brunette, ignoring Marco. "Why didn't you tell us we've been found out?!"

"Because I knew this "blame it on one person" shit would happen!" Eren snapped, getting in Jean's face.

Levi had enough. "Hey! All of you shut the fuck up!"

With angry expressions, everyone silenced their accusations.

Levi crossed his arms. "All of you are to blame! Even though you're not in any trouble with _me_, you might get in trouble with the law. And the police will not have any problem throwing you all in prison. So let's get to the bottom of this before all of you wind up in a cell!"

Eren bit his lip, feeling like everything he and his friends worked for is going down that drain.

"So… let's start this over." Levi said. "So you all have a huge party once a month with alcohol and blunts, correct?"

"…yes." Ymir was the only one who spoke up.

"And you all do this in order to feel like you have some sort of freedom and control over your lives?" Levi continued.

"Yeah." More people spoke up.

"I know exactly how that feels." Levi admitted. "When I was you guy's age, I felt like my entire existence didn't belong to me. So I resorted to that stuff to escape."

"Really?" Connie asked with wide eyes.

"Yes. We're all human. However…" Levi's expression was downcast. "Participating in underage drinking and smoking will wreck any chance of a better future. When you're an adult, you'll be able to do whatever the hell you want, including drink and smoke. But by then, hopefully you all would have matured enough to know what you're doing and what direction your life is headed."

"…that's a false hope." Annie deadpanned. "When we all turn eighteen, our situations will not have changed. We'll all still be stuck here."

"We'll still be cattle trapped behind a wall." Eren added, his teeth clenched.

"So while we still have the resources and opportunity, we should be able to escape from our daily lives." Ymir finished.

"Who says you'll be stuck here forever? The government? Your teachers? Your _parents?_" Levi peered. "You all have the power to make a difference in this world. It takes a tiny spark. I assure you, you all are not the only ones in Shiganshina that feel trapped here. You guys have to step up."

Historia cowered in her chair. "No… I can't. _We_ can't."

Eren's eyes sparked, a sudden fire burning in them. He racked his brain, trying to figure out what to do.

_Wait...! That day, when we first decided to have parties..._

"Yes… we can." Eren stood up. "I just remembered something important that could help us."

"What are you talking about, Jaeger?" Jean asked. "The government is pretty much our god. What power do we have?"

"I can't believe I didn't think about this before." Eren continued. "The old house we party in… used to belong to the governor, correct?"

"Yes, it did." Armin replied. "Balto used that place for storage, I believe. Then it was torn down five years later, and it turned into a home for a family, then it was abandoned for good. It's really strange, now that I think about it."

"And Historia… what did you find in there?" Eren looked at the small girl.

Historia started to sweat, her hands shaking. _No… this was never supposed to be revealed to anyone else! I promised to bring in a supply of marijuana if they said nothing!_

"… several blunts and some cocaine that had some sort of official seal. It was a unicorn, I believe." Eren answered for her.

Levi's eyes widened. "What?"

"Wait! That's the seal of the highest sector of the police force!" Armin cried. "Historia just said she found some regular case of marijuana."

Everyone looked at Historia. She was trembling like a leaf.

"I…I must have forgotten… or wanted to forget." She replied feebly.

"Which is understandable… _right?_" Ymir glared menacingly at her other peers.

"Of course it is." Armin quickly said. "I mean, at that time, we didn't really know what marijuana and cocaine was."

"So Eren, how did you find this?" Levi inquired.

"Well, a few months ago, I was put in charge of scoping out a place for us to have our monthly fun." Eren explained. "When I came across the abandoned house, I found Historia inside the basement looking for something. At that time, the basement was full of stuff from the government. She told me that her parents sent her to retrieve some old heirloom or something. Then… we came across the marijuana and cocaine. It wasn't much, but we had no idea what it was."

Levi glanced at Historia. She looked more and more distraught.

"Historia took most of it to dispose of it as trash, but I kept some to figure out what it was." Eren continued. "I foolishly left the government seal on it when I took it to our crazy biology teacher Hanji Zoe. Man, I wouldn't have done that if only I had known what it was. Armin and Historia were there when I showed it to her."

"When Eren asked Miss Zoe, she got this crazy look on her face." Armin shuddered. "She actually explained what marijuana and cocaine was, and how to use it. If the other teachers found out, she would've been arrested for sure."

Levi's head was spinning with all of the information he was receiving. _These kids… came across a drug cartel?!_

"So, we couldn't find anything to recreate cocaine, but Historia recreated marijuana." Eren said. "It's amazing. And Sasha was able to recreate beer, since her parents used to drink. She's a total food nut, she could taste the ingredients."

"Yup!" Sasha said proudly.

"And thus, our monthly parties started." Eren sighed. "We all worked so hard to keep it a secret… only for a new resident of Shiganshina to find it."

"Heh, it's pretty ironic." Armin said. "All of the people who have lived here for years never suspected a thing."

"…and I want to keep it that way." Historia muttered, her eyes lifeless.

"Historia…?" Levi peered at the girl.

She blinked several times, regaining her composure. "Nothing."

"So the government might be behind some shady dealings." Levi decided to ignore Historia's strange behavior for now. "That's quite an unexpected development."

"There's nothing we can do about that, though. We have no outstanding proof since the seals are long gone, and the police won't believe us anyway." Jean pointed out.

_What's going on in this secretive heart of darkness? _

"You've shared a lot with me." Levi said. "And even though things look bleak, you've really done yourselves and the people of Shiganshina a great service. Even though this is mere speculation, the drugs could lead to an explanation of why the laws of this place are bat shit crazy."

Levi stared at his class. "You have to promise me some things. One, do not step foot in that house ever again. There could be more evidence hidden away. I don't want you guys to get in any trouble. And two, do not produce any more beer and marijuana. If there is some dealing going on, I don't want you all to go down with the government."

"So… if we do promise you, what are you going to do for us?" Eren asked.

Levi smirked. "I'm going to be that spark you all need to make a difference."

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

By the time the tornado passed through Shiganshina, half of the school day was over. Pixis came over the speaker again, declaring a half day and dismissing the students.

Everyone was in higher spirits, talking excitedly about what could be going on.

"I like how class turned into a discussion on how to overthrow the government." Connie snickered.

"Shut up." Sasha rolled her eyes. "It did not go that far."

"I knew the government was sly, but this is downright sneaky." Jean whispered to Marco.

"I know. They are against our relationship, but then they deal in drugs? How hypocritical." Marco replied.

The only person that was not happy about what was discussed was Historia. She looked frightened. Levi didn't get a chance to question her, as she was the first one out of the classroom, Ymir on her heels.

"Levi… do you wanna walk with me to the bakery?" Eren asked bashfully.

Levi raised an eyebrow. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing!" Eren blushed. "It's so you won't fall in any puddles or trip on any of the debris the tornado threw around."

"…you make it seem like I'm a disabled five year old." Levi scoffed. "But fine. I'll accompany you."

As the two left the school, Levi questioned Eren further.

"I was surprised that you would be the first to tell me about the drugs." He said.

"Well…" Eren scratched the back of his head. "I realized that this entire time, I haven't been doing anything useful to get out of the life I'm currently living. All I've done is complain and try to escape my drinking and smoking. I… want to fight for my freedom."

"Honorable words." Levi replied. "But do you have the strength and persistence to back them up?"

Eren grinned cheekily. "You bet I do! Now that I know I'm not alone in this endeavor, I feel a lot better about my strength."

"We'll see when that time comes." Levi looked straight forward. "Here's another pressing matter I want to ask you."

"Yeah?"

"Where the hell did you get the clothes and music at the party?" Levi asked.

Eren face palmed. "Is that all? Most of us found it in our parent's old boxes from years ago. The 80s, I believe? It's pretty cool, but we kinda feel outdates, especially the music. What does music in the present sound like?"

"Like shit. Stick to what you have." Levi quickly told him.

Eren laughed. "I'm so glad we have a teacher like you, Levi. You're the best."

Levi felt his heart skip a beat. "…thanks."

The two walked in an awkward silence.

"…what's the first thing you're gonna do to figure out the drug problem?" Eren broke the silence.

"I'm going to pay a visit to your biology teacher. Hanji, is it?" Levi asked.

Eren shivered. "Good luck with that. I hope you make it out alive."

Levi just shook his head. "Nonsense. I'm sure she is not as bad as you make her out to be."

"You'll see for yourself soon." Eren assured him.

Levi had no idea what he getting himself into… with the discovered drugs, and Hanji Zoe.

_Eren... I know said I would be the spark to help you guys, but honestly... I think it's you._

* * *

**Disclaimer: Levi's views on today's music are not necessarily my own!**

**Well, there you have it! Wow, things have certainly gotten twisted, haven't they? And yet there are still more questions to be answered! And as promised, Hanji makes her appearance in the next chapter! So you guys can't get mad at me again! XD**

**If you've liked the story so far, add this to your favorites and alerts.**

**And remember...**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**I really appreciate feedback. See you in the next one!**

**PRK**


	8. Downhill

**Hey guys! Because I do not want to participate in college sorority parties, I was able to complete this chapter over the weekend! Yay!**

**Finally, Hanji is making her appearance! You can all stop being upset with me now. XD I'm going to deliver!**

**Thank you all so so much for the reviews, faves, and alerts! After being absent for two weeks, I did not expect the amount of feedback I received for the previous chapter. So thank you for your continued support! I love you guys!**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

_**Chapter 8 **Downhill_

The next morning, Levi left for school earlier than usual. He decided to confront this Hanji Zoe before any of the students arrived. As he avoided the debris left by the storm, Levi thought of a strategy to coax the information he desired out of her.

_She had no problem explaining to her students what marijuana was, but then again, she's a science teacher, and the kids didn't know any better. _Levi thought. _How will she react to another adult asking her about it? If she's as religious as the other instructors, then she won't give it up so easily. _

Levi decided just to go for it. If push comes to shove, he could always blackmail Hanji Zoe. She did handle illegal drugs, after all. He could also convince Erwin to back him up on it. And since Historia is the most trusted student in existence, she could help out as well.

Of course, Levi also took precautions. If Hanji is somehow in cahoots with the marijuana and cocaine, she would most likely be expecting someone to find out sooner or later. So just in case, Levi had tucked away a knife in a holster.

Satisfied with his backup plan, Levi parked his motorcycle in the teacher's parking lot. He walked inside and went upstairs to the science hallway. He never got a chance to really explore that section of the school. He could hear weird sounds and uncontrollable laughter coming from one of the classrooms. Curious, Levi stepped towards the room it was coming from.

His students shared rumors about the teacher, Hanji Zoe, being some sort of witch. He shot down that idea, not believing in superstitious nonsense. The laughter coming from the room did sound creepy though.

_I wonder if this is Hanji._ Levi mused.

Levi slowly opened the door and poked his head inside. Inside was a female teacher, her back turned to Levi. She had brown hair up in a ponytail. She was sporting a lab coat and white pants.

_Damn… she's insane. That's probably her._

"Meh...heh heh...ha ha ha ha!" Hanji cackled pouring chemicals into a flask.

Levi stepped inside, eyeing her cautiously. "Excuse me, Hanji Zoe. Do you have a moment?"

The science teacher turned around, pushing her goggles up over her head. She smiled widely

"Good morning, little guy! Are you a new student to my class?" She asked excitedly.

Levi twitched. "No. I'm a teacher here."

Hanji's mouth formed an 'o.' "Oh, I'm sorry! You really have a baby face, sir!"

_This bitch is completely nuts! _Levi seethed.

"Wait, let me put on my glasses." Hanji said, walking over to her desk.

After putting them on, Hanji took a good look at the shorter teacher. "Oh! You really are an adult! My vision was a little blurry when I took my goggles off. All I saw was a short guy."

"Yeah, I guessed as much." Levi rolled his eyes, closing the door behind him.

"So, who are you?" Hanji smiled.

"Just call me Levi." He replied.

"So Levi, what business do you have with me?" Hanji inquired. "None of the teachers in this school have ever visited my class before. They're scared of me. I can't imagine why."

Levi looked around the classroom. She had displays of animals in glass jars, most of them dead. Chemicals were stacked everywhere.

"…I can think of a few reasons." Levi muttered. "Anyways, what I am about to discuss with you is completely confidential. If you dare tell anybody, you will regret it."

"Ooh! We just met and we're already sharing secrets!" Hanji gushed. "Fine! Cross my heart and hope to die! Stick a scalpel in my eye!"

Levi took a deep breath, trying to control his anger. _Calm down. Just calm down. As soon as you get the information you need, you'll never have to speak to her again._

"There's been something that has been brought to my attention." Levi began. "I heard that some students brought some illegal drugs to you, unaware of what they were. And… you took them and _explained_ to said students what they were."

Hanji tilted her head in confusion. "What are you talking about? I know teachers and students around here don't like me, but that doesn't mean I'm involved in something like that."

"Don't feign ignorance." Levi scowled. "A _student_ of yours told me about this. Unless you're saying that _she's_ lying, then there are going to be some problems."

Hanji's eyes widened, immediately knowing who he was referring to. "Historia…?"

Levi crossed his arms and glared at the teacher.

"Levi… what exactly do you want from me?" Hanji's bubbly expression dissipated.

"I want you to tell me what you did with those drugs. They had the _government's seal_, did they not?" Levi asked.

Hanji sighed, rubbing her temple. "You know way too much. My boss is gonna kill me." She reached for her back pocket.

"…!" Levi quickly reached for his knife in his holster.

As soon as he unsheathed his weapon, Hanji also revealed hers. A 9mm handgun was pointed directly at Levi's skull.

"Shit!" Levi growled.

He wasn't prepared for this. Not that he had much of a choice. Erwin didn't leave any of his guns lying around. In fact, he has yet to see a gun store anywhere. So how the hell did a science teacher get her hands on one?

"If you don't want a bullet in your brain, I suggest we make a deal." Hanji said calmly. "You walk out of here and say nothing. Also, you will interrogate Miss Historia further for new information. She is a prime suspect."

"What are you talking about?" Levi asked. He looked around the room for something to distract Hanji with.

"I'm sure you know about Historia's parents having complete control over the government." Hanji responded. "But that's all you need to know. So, do we have a deal or not?"

"If you shoot me, do you honestly think you can escape this school without getting caught?" Levi challenged, edging slowly to his right.

The barrel of Hanji's gun followed him. "Yes, I do. You see, I know how to cover it up. I do experiments in here all the time before school starts. Such experiments have resulted in a loud explosion that sounds like a gunshot. Now, the staff just ignores it."

"Well, I hope none of your experiments need _this_." Levi smirked.

Hanji's eyes widened. "What?"

Levi threw his knife at her glass jar displays, knocking over one with a dead frog inside.

"Nooooo! Kermit!" Hanji cried, dropping her weapon and running over to the already deceased amphibian. "What has he done to you?!"

As Hanji sobbed, Levi scrambled towards her fallen gun and picked it up. He aimed it at her.

"Tell me what you're hiding!" Levi ordered roughly.

Hanji slowly put her hands up in the air. "You win, Levi. You don't have to shoot." She sniffled, still staring at the frog. "You're serious about this and those kids, aren't you?"

Levi's aim never wavered. "What are you talking about?"

"The kids in your Japanese class. Erwin Smith has told me a lot about you." Hanji turned around, smiling widely.

"How do you know Erwin?" Levi's eyes narrowed.

"He's my boss." Hanji replied. "And that's all I can say for now. If you want to know more, ask him. I'm not allowed to say any more. Just know that I am on your side, Levi. Quite a few of us are. And, for the record… I never planned on shooting you. I just wanted to see if you were the real deal. And you certainly are."

Levi lowered the gun, dropping it back on the floor. Hanji turned back around, picking up the pieces of broken glass. "Oh, Kermit… you had such a short life."

"He was already dead, idiot." Levi scoffed. "And you should know better than to pick up broken glass. Here, move over. I know how to pick it up without cutting myself."

Levi knelt down next to Hanji and took over. Hanji quickly grabbed a bin made for glass and brought it back over to him.

"Thanks, Levi." Hanji said. "You know, you're the first person I've met in this town that isn't afraid of me."

Levi clicked his tongue. "You're not scary. This town is just full of nutjobs. If you're the least bit different, or out of the norm, this place treats you like shit. I've never seen such a dull place. My students are so oppressed, it's insane. And do me a favor…"

Levi gave Hanji a steely glare. "Leave Historia Reiss alone. She's a child. She cannot possibly be a suspect in any sort of crime the government is a part of. I refuse to interrogate her. Historia is already going through enough shit as it is. Why make it worse for her?"

Hanji sighed. "I'm sorry, Levi. We can't pick and choose who to target. The whole family has to go down."

Levi clenched his fists. "Well maybe you should pick and choose. Why does everyone have to take part in whatever the hell is going on?"

Hanji refused to answer him directly. "Like I said, I can't reveal anything else. You'll have to speak to Erwin."

Levi finished picking up the glass and stood up. "I will."

"...can we be best friends now?" Hanji stared at Levi with googly eyes.

"..." Levi left the strange teacher alone, upset and confused.

"Is that a yes?" Hanji called from her classroom.

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

Levi couldn't focus on anything for the rest of the school day. He taught his only class with an obvious indifference. Whenever someone tried to bring up their discussion yesterday, he quickly changed the subject. Levi had no right to talk about it anymore when he had no idea what was going on.

Later that day, Levi vaguely remembered Jean asking if he could stay after to talk with him, so he waited around. The sandy haired teen walked in by himself, Marco nowhere to be seen.

"Jean, where's Marco?" Levi inquired.

"You… haven't gotten a call from him, have you?" Jean asked nervously.

Levi raised an eyebrow. "Why would I have?"

Jean looked away. "He was absent today. Didn't you notice?"

_Nope._

"When you're absent, you're supposed to call in sick, and the receptionist relays the message to all of his teacher's voice mail. I'm worried. He's never missed school, and he would have called in if he was ill." Jean swallowed thickly.

"Calm down." Levi told him. "Don't jump to any conclusions. Things happen all the time. Just go home and relax. I'm certain he'll be back tomorrow. If he's not, and he still hasn't called in, I will personally call the household to ask if he's okay."

Jean took a deep breath and nodded his approval. "Okay, okay. I just hope his parents didn't find out about us again. He'll never see the light of day again if they did."

"You two will be perfectly okay. I promise." Levi assured him.

Jean nodded, feeling much better. "Speaking of being okay, how about you? You seemed really out of it this morning. Did something happen?"

Levi waved the teen's concerns away. "I ran into your crazy biology teacher."

Jean shuddered. "Enough said. Was she any help in finding out what's going on with the drugs?"

"Not really." Levi answered. It was the truth. Hanji refused to give up any useful information.

Jean's shoulders slumped. "Oh, that sucks. Well, maybe we'll find another lead."

"Perhaps." Levi said.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Levi." Jean said before leaving.

Levi felt a headache coming on. Too much has happened today for him to think straight. He gathered his belongings and left the classroom.

"You don't think it's weird that Marco didn't show up today?"

Levi flinched in surprise. Eren was leaning on the wall, staring at him.

"No, I don't." Levi growled, not in the mood for anyone else. "But then again, you've known him a lot longer than me. Do you think it's weird?"

"Yes, I do." Eren walked over to his teacher. "Even when Marco was sick, he always came to school. I think it's strange that the day after a bunch of stuff was revealed, he suddenly doesn't show up. It makes sense, right? Marco knew nothing about the drugs, so he's the perfect person to take away and scare the rest of us."

"That's a lot of speculation, Jaeger." Levi told him, walking away. "You have no evidence to support your claims."

"But don't you think that's a possibility?" Eren followed him.

"I can't answer that." Levi walked faster. "Not without substantial proof. And what if he comes back to school tomorrow? All of your wild assumptions go out the window."

"True." Eren relented. "But then again, Armin thought the same thing I did. He's undoubtedly one of the smartest people in this place. I trust his judgment any day."

"You should really read the atmosphere, Eren." Levi snapped, glaring at him. "If you and your friends keep running your mouth about possible theories, something horrible _will_ happen. So keep your mouths shut about this until actual evidence comes in. Don't stir up trouble and ruin any chance of making a change in this town."

Eren narrowed his eyes. "Fine."

"Wise choice. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be late for work if I don't get out of here." Levi told him.

"Yeah, about that." Eren sneered. "My mother will be gone today. My dad has returned from his travelling, but there's some problem with letting him inside the town. This happens a lot. It'll just be you and I today."

Levi sighed. "Oh, great. Now I have to babysit you as well."

Eren's nose flared. "Hey! I turn sixteen in two weeks! I am not a baby! And in Mitras, that is the age of consent!"

Levi stopped and turned to look at Eren with wide eyes. "What?" _What the hell is he bringing up the consent laws in the capital for?!_

"I read it in a law brochure my dad brought home from Mitras once." Eren continued proudly. "It stated that sixteen is the age of consent. I don't exactly know what that means, but it's something worthy of an adult."

Levi face palmed. _This naïve little shit better stop spouting out stuff he knows nothing about._

"I've never been to the capital." Eren sighed. "I've never been outside Shiganshina at all. You're from Mitras, right? What's it like? Is it as awesome as the travel brochures say?"

"…I guess." Levi left it at that. "Now come on. Unlike you, I have a job to do."

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

"Okay…" Levi stared down at a new recipe Carla wanted him to bake. "Sugar and spice doughnuts, huh?"

Levi picked up a note Carla left on the refrigerator.

_Levi,_

_I wanted to try out a recipe that I might start selling at Christmastime. Of course, I have to test it and see if people even like it. If it's a success, it will be a seasonal pastry. Thank you so much for your help! I instructed Eren to help out since I'm gone. Have a great day!_

_Carla_

Levi started laying out the proper ingredients, utensils, and trays.

"Wow, mom hasn't done a new recipe in a while." Eren popped up behind Levi.

"Do me a favor and not get in my way." Levi ordered, ignoring him.

Eren sighed, doing what he was told. "Baking is supposed to be a fun experience. You're ruining it for everyone. That's a rather rare skill. What's it like having the ability to make every enjoyable thing on Earth serious and boring?"

"Watch it, brat." Levi flicked Eren on his forehead. "I'd much rather make things boring than to walk around like an idiot and fuck shit up."

"That's not fair! I knocked over a glass bowl _one time_, and suddenly I'm a screw up." Eren retorted. "You know, baking takes patience, love, and everything else you don't have."

Levi glared at the brunette. "It also takes _skill_, something you definitely don't have."

Eren crossed his arms. "I like how I'm the only one you're mean to. You're nice to everyone else. Why is that?"

Levi finished laying out the ingredients. "I don't know. You're just fun to tease."

Eren felt his cheeks flush. "W-What?!"

Levi smirked, walking past him. "You're the only one that elicits a response from my teasing. And I find that fun. It's been years since I've had someone to trade verbal blows with back and forth."

Eren gulped. "Y-You're weird, Levi."

"That's not the first time I've heard that, and it certainly won't be the last." Levi replied coolly. "So, Mr. I'm Good at Everything, show me your skill and mix the wet ingredients together. I'll mix the dry ones."

Eren grinned and bounded over to the counter. "Thank you for noticing me, senpai."

Levi almost dropped the wooden spoon he was using. "I am not your senpai. And never say that ever again. I now regret teaching you guys about that honorific."

The brunette grinned. "It was just a joke. I think it's funny."

The two worked in silence for a while. Occasionally, customers would come in, and Levi went to handle their orders. Finally, when the dough was ready to be fried, Eren finally spoke.

"Hey, Levi."

"Yeah?" Levi looked up at him.

"Sugar and spice is a great way to describe this town and our lives." Eren looked straight ahead. "From the outside coming in, Shiganshina looks like the best place to live. It has protection, and virtually no crime. You don't have to worry about alcoholics or druggies. Or so they think. That's where the spice part comes in. Shiganshina is no paradise. It's a fucking hellhole. People think its sweet, but they're delusional. They don't taste what's underneath. Or… they choose not to."

Levi was surprised at Eren's insight. "Wow… that's a really interesting analogy."

"It's my life." Eren replied. "I am so ready to go out and explore the world for myself. I want to see different kinds of people, religions, lifestyles, and cultures. I don't want to be stuck in a bubble forever. Armin and I are planning our escape."

Levi decided not to say anything else. If he did, it would bring up a painful memory he wished to not relive.

After Levi and Eren fried several batches of the doughnuts, it was nearly closing time. The two were sitting at the kitchen table.

"…" Eren was staring down at his math homework, a troubled look on his face.

Levi looked at the worksheet, then back up at Eren. "You have no idea what to do, do you?"

"Oh! Uh, yeah I do!" Eren lied. "I'm just refreshing my memory."

"Refreshing your memory?" Levi scoffed. "You don't refresh your memory by staring at a blank worksheet. Don't you have notes?"

Eren didn't respond.

"That's what I thought." Levi scooted his chair over next to Eren. "What are you working on?"

Levi leaned in closer to Eren to get a better look at the homework. Eren suddenly felt warm from the close contact.

"You're trying to find slope, huh? Ah, it took me a while to get this concept too when I was in Algebra." Levi admitted. "So, let's start with the basics. Do you know which line is the x-coordinate and the y-coordinate on the graph?"

Eren pointed to the horizontal line and vertical line respectively.

"Very good. So, the first problem says to draw a line with the starting point being at (3, 5). Plot that point first." Levi instructed.

Eren took his pencil and did what he was told.

"Great. So the problem says the slope is 5/4. Here's an easy way to plot the extra points to draw the line." Levi took Eren's hand with the pencil in it.

Eren's cheeks darkened even more. He prayed that Levi didn't notice.

"Think of the slope as rise over run, meaning the numerator "rises", and the denominator "runs". Now, referring to the graph, the x coordinate serves as your "run". Here's how to remember it. What do you do when you see your ex? You _run_."

"Ha ha…" Eren chuckled. "So, if the numerator "rises", I will be going up five, then I will "run" four times?"

"That's correct. Since the slope is positive, which way will you be rising and running?" Levi inquired.

"Uh, I will be going up five then to the right four." Eren answered.

"Very good. Now, do that from your starting point. Then draw the line between the two points." Levi finished.

Smiling proudly, Eren did just that. "Wow, you're a really good at this. You should be my math teacher too."

"I never did like math." Levi shrugged. "But I knew I had to learn it. And it's a good thing I did, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to help you."

Eren looked down. "T-Thanks. Can you… help me with the rest of the problems?"

"Only a few. I want you to learn these on your own. I won't be there when you get tested." Levi pointed out. "Okay… looks like the second problem has a negative slope."

Eren tried his best to pay attention to Levi's instructions, but it was difficult to concentrate with Levi so close to him. He could feel Levi's body heat warming him up.

_What's wrong with me? _Eren asked himself. _Why am do I feel so strange around him recently? I wasn't feeling this way when I first met him. But… something's changed. And I'm not sure if it was a change in him… or in me._

"Eren!"

"Yes!? Eren snapped out of his thoughts.

"I asked you five times which direction the line will go with a negative slope." Levi scolded him. "Don't start daydreaming. That's what probably got you in trouble the first time. Now pay attention."

"Yes." Eren sighed. "I'm sorry."

_Levi is strict, crude, rude, and mean. But… that doesn't bother me at all. I mean, it did at first, but as soon as I started trusting Levi, I found good in him that I never noticed. What's wrong with me?_

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

After saying his goodbyes to Eren, Levi briskly walked home. The sun had completely set, and the moon was out, lighting Levi's path.

_I actually liked tutoring the brat in his studies, but he kept drifting off. I wonder what was up with that. _Levi thought to himself. _Oh, well. Probably teenager stuff. I used to be like that._

Levi temporarily decided to push Eren to the back of his mind for a while. He had another task to accomplish; confront Erwin about Hanji and the drugs.

_How the hell has Erwin been hiding this stuff? I live with the guy. I never thought he could be as sneaky as me._ _I guess I rubbed off on him after all._

When Levi entered the house, Erwin was already home, unwinding on the couch.

"Erwin, I have to talk to you." Levi said as a form of greeting.

"Good evening to you as well." Erwin stretched. "Listen, I don't really feel like talking about serious stuff tonight. A lot happened today, and I need to clear my mind."

"What?" Levi's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What happened?"

"A high school kid got arrested this morning." Erwin sighed. "I think his name is Marco Bodt. A witness spotted him and Jean Kirstein together, and reported it to the police. Apparently that broke their probation. The Jean boy didn't get arrested though, since Marco confessed that he-"

Levi was frozen. "Did… did you just say Marco Bodt?"

"Yes." Erwin gazed at Levi curiously. "Why? Wait… is he in your class-?"

"How did this happen?!" Levi shouted, cutting Erwin off. "Who reported him?"

"Levi, calm down." Erwin got up and walked over to Levi's side. "I don't know what's going on, but I'll try to get as much information as possible tomorrow. I wasn't at the scene, so-…Levi?"

Levi had a wild look on his face, and his mind was cluttered with horrible thoughts. _He trusted me…! He and Jean trusted me! I told them everything would be alright. Is this going to happen to Historia and Ymir too?! This can't be happening. Who did this?! _

"Where are they holding him?" Levi asked in a scarily calm tone.

Erwin hesistaed. "I think he's in a cell."

Levi gritted his teeth. _Marco… hang in there! I promise I'll get you out somehow!_

* * *

**Well… that happened. Someone ratted Marco and Jean out! Who did such a horrible thing?! And who exactly is Hanji? Is she just some mad scientist, or perhaps some sort of secret spy? All and more will be revealed in following chapters!**

**If you've enjoyed this so far, add this to your favorites and alerts. And remember…**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**See you in the next one!**

**PRK**


	9. The Traitor

**Hey guys! I have some news that may or may not make you sad. Eyes of the Beholder will be on hold until this story is completed. And this is why:**

**Since college is currently kicking my ass, my brain is getting fried, and it's too much to keep switching plot from story to story. If I keep doing that, I will forget stuff and not be able to write. And then, that means I would give up on both stories. So, I will focus on one story until it's completed. Then I will go back and finish the other.**

**For those who like Eyes of the Beholder more, I'm sorry. Do not think I'm giving up. I have the ideas, I just can't focus on two stories at the same time while I'm in school. Maybe when things settle down, I'll be able to go back to writing two stories at once. **

**Thank you so much for the reviews, faves, and alerts! I appreciate you!**

**Enjoy the chapter~! :3  
**

* * *

**Chapter 9 **_The Traitor_

"Levi? Levi...? LEVI!"

Levi blinked several times and looked up. His entire class stared at him.

"Levi, it's eight o'clock. Aren't we supposed to do the greeting?" Connie asked.

"Right." Levi sighed, getting up from his desk chair. So many thoughts were running through his mind, he didn't even hear the warning bell.

Eren stared at his teacher, concern washing over him. The brunette then glanced at Jean. He was gazing at Marco's empty desk, a solemn expression on his face.

_They are both out of it. And Marco is still gone. Was Armin right? Did Marco disappear? _Eren wondered to himself. _And if that's the case, does Levi know something that we don't? What's happening...?_

After the greeting, Levi lifelessly began that day's lesson over using verbs in the past tense. The man was never peppy during his lectures, but he was never this dull. Something definitely happened.

Eren looked at Armin. His blond friend nodded and mouthed, _'we'll talk after class.'_

In the middle of the class period, Levi's cell phone rang.

"Goddamn it..." Levi muttered, walking over to his desk. After checking called id, Levi's eyes widened.

"Excuse me for a minute." Levi told his class, hurrying out the room to answer.

As soon as Levi shut the door, the students buzzed with worry.

"What's up with Levi today? Is he feeling alright?" Sasha asked.

"And also Marco is still gone." Historia bit her lip. "I went by his house yesterday to give him the homework, but he wasn't there."

Jean gasped. "Where is he?!"

"I don't know." Historia looked down. "His parents wouldn't say anything about his whereabouts."

Jean slammed his fist on his desk, tears prickling his eyes. "Damn it all... where could he be? This isn't like him! There's no way he could have run away."

Eren scooted his chair close to Armin. "What do you think?" He whispered to his best friend.

"Something is definitely wrong." Armin replied. "From what Historia said, he must be somewhere that his parents don't want to share publicly. Especially with the daughter of the Reiss family. There aren't many places around here that would be so bad that it can't be shared with someone."

"That's true. But... where on earth could that place be? Prison?" Eren asked, somewhat jokingly.

Armin was silent. "...maybe."

Eren gaped. "I was kidding. There's no way he could be in there. He didn't break any rules."

Armin directed his gaze to Jean. "Maybe he did."

Eren eyes landed on Jean as well. "But... there's no way they could have been told on. They haven't been seen by anyone together. I've seen them together once, and that was after school in here. Even Historia and Ymir were in here together. They weren't seen as well."

"...unless the culprit who ratted them out was someone who was aware of their relationship the entire time." Armin hypothesized.

"But who could that be?" Eren frowned.

Armin shook his head. "I don't even want to try and guess. Because... that means we may have to turn on one of our own classmates."

Eren gritted his teeth. "Damn. So let's say someone did tell on them. How come Jean wasn't taken in as well?"

"That's the part I don't get." Armin sighed. "Marco is the most innocent being in Shiganshina. But he suddenly disappears without a trace. He didn't even know we had parties and drugs were found. So... why him? Why not someone who knows?"

"This shit is getting ridiculous." Eren growled. "We need to take action _now_. What if someone else goes missing tomorrow? Eventually we'll all be in trouble."

"There's nothing we can do right now." Armin told him unhappily. "We still don't know _why_ Marco is missing. I've been spouting theories, but nothing is set in stone."

"Right..." Eren closed his eyes. "But... I do think Levi knows something. Levi didn't think our speculations about Marco were correct and we had nothing to worry about. Now all of a sudden he looks like he's seen a ghost."

"Maybe so. Since you're the closest to him, will you try to pry information out of him?" Armin asked.

Eren blushed wildly. "W-What do you mean the 'closest' to him?!"

"You spend the most time with him." Armin replied simply. "And you both work together at the bakery. And don't think I don't see the way you look at him during class. I wasn't born yesterday."

Eren hid his face. "Shut up. Nothing is going on."

"I never said there was anything going on." Armin raised an eyebrow. "Is there?"

"No!" Eren blurted.

Armin giggled. "Fine. Just talk to him later about this, okay? I'm really worried about Marco. And if I'm feeling this way, I can't imagine how Jean must be feeling."

Eren glanced at Jean's dismayed expression. "Yeah, me neither. And the fact that he's banned from even being near him sucks even more. Can't even visit the guy."

"I just pray to God that Marco's okay." Armin rubbed his temple.

Eren turned back around in his seat. "He's going to need more than prayer to get out of this situation unscathed. He's going to need _luck_."

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

"Erwin! Did you get clearance?" Levi paced back and forth in the men's bathroom, pressing his cellphone against his ear.

"Barely. I had to pull a few strings and use favors people owed me." Erwin sighed. "Luckily, you are not under the police's radar, so they had good reason to stop you from seeing Marco. In fact, your chances of seeing him increased when I told them that you were his teacher."

"Do you know his current status?" Levi asked anxiously.

"..." Erwin was silent.

"Erwin?" Levi's eyes narrowed. "What is his current status?"

"...he was raped by two inmates last night. It was ordered by the religious leader Pastor Nick to force Marco to not have homosexual feelings or relations ever again."

"..." Levi was squeezing his phone so tight, it was on the verge of breaking. "So Pastor Nick told two men to fuck the gay out of him?"

"...pretty much." Erwin confirmed quietly.

Levi couldn't speak.

"I have to go, Levi. I'll drop by the house at around five to pick you up. Marco should be back in his cell by then. And... I'm sorry this is happening. I... I never thought the government would go this far."

Erwin hung up. Levi slowly brought his phone back down. He stared off into space, completely forgetting about his waiting students.

_Marco... was raped. Why? What has he done to deserve this?! _

Levi heard a toilet flush. The man turned around, ready to face the eavesdropper and blackmail him into not saying a word. The stall door opened, revealing...

"Hanji?!" Levi took a step back in shock.

"Levi!" Hanji squealed. "Long time no see!"

"We just saw each other yesterday." Levi snapped. "What are you doing in here anyway?"

"Well," Hanji began, walking over to the sink to wash her hands. "I was actually on my way to your classroom to speak to you, but I had to pee, so I came in here. Then you came in here like a ball of fire."

"This is the men's restroom." Levi crossed his arms. "Don't tell me you can't read?"

"I sure can!" Hanji grinned. "I am a man! Ooh, that rhymed!"

"...what?" Levi stared at Hanji in disbelief.

"Shh, don't tell any of the other teachers though!" Hanji pressed a finger to her lips. "They think I'm a woman, which is exactly what I want. I'm transgender!"

"Wow." Levi didn't know what to say. "You sure fooled me."

"Thank you." Hanji took that as a compliment. "It really helped when I started wearing water bras and growing my hair out."

"So... about what you just heard..." Levi changed the subject.

"I already know about Marco Bodt." Hanji told him. "And trust me, I hate this just as much as you do. We're trying to find a way to get him out. But in order to do that, I have to speak to the person that got him in trouble in the first place and make a deal."

"Wait, you know who did it?" Levi frowned.

"Yes. It wasn't that hard to find out, anyway. She's the only one that has seen Marco with this Jean character, and has the power to get Marco arrested. I was on my way to speak to her."

Levi felt weak. "Historia...?"

"Bingo." Hanji snapped her fingers. "It makes sense, right? One of our discreet officers was there when Marco was taken in, and Historia was with them. And Erwin told me that you had after school sessions with Historia, Ymir, Marco, and Jean, correct?"

Levi was too shocked to reply. _Historia... that traitor! Why the hell would she rat out someone in the same boat as her? Unless..._

"Are you starting to put it all together now?" Hanji inquired. "Historia has been aware of the drugs the entire time. And when you and your students put the attention on that, she had to make a diversion somehow. What better way to do that than to do something that affects you and your class? Arrest a nice boy that broke the law just to see his lover. And she knew that would hurt you the most. See, you're the driving force behind these kids speaking up about the drugs. Historia is a smart one. Hell, she's more devious than her parents. She knocked out several birds with one stone."

Levi shook with rage.

"She's protecting something. And that's the only thing I can't figure out." Hanji sighed. "What's in it for her? Don't tell me she actually _likes_ what her parents are involved in."

"…what deal are you going to make with that bitch?" Levi asked, scowling.

"An exchange." Hanji replied. "She thinks she has kept her own love life a secret from the world, but I'd say otherwise. We have high surveillance on the Reiss residence, and we've seen her and that Ymir girl together. And after looking at Ymir's profile, she can easily get arrested. She works, and all of that money goes to her parents buying alcohol from out of town, which is of course illegal in Shiganshina. I doubt Historia would want her girlfriend to share a cell with Marco and the other inmates. So, if she uses her influence to get Marco released, we'll keep Ymir out of this."

Levi did not like this one bit. Negotiations were never his thing. He'd rather beat the information out of her.

"And what if she refuses, despite the threats against Ymir?" He asked.

"Then we'll resort to force." Hanji said simply.

"You know… you never told me who you really are. There's no point in hiding it anymore. I'm in this too deep. Who the fuck are you, and what is Erwin's role?"

Hanji smiled. "We have a small group within the national government called the Survey Corps. From our name, you can guess what we do. We 'survey' people and towns that are under suspicion. Our members are disguised as normal people. Erwin is playing the police officer, and I'm playing the science teacher. We are the eyes and ears in this current operation. I keep tabs on this school, and Erwin keeps track of the police here."

"So that's why Erwin suddenly moved here…" Levi clenched his fists. "So… who's going to do the negotiation?"

Hanji gave Levi a grave smile. "You. That was what I was going to discuss with you. I can't reveal who I really am to Historia. Since you are not in the Survey Corps, you're the only one that can talk to her."

Levi exhaled. "Fine. I'll do it. You know, something's been bothering me. If you've been sent by the national government, why can't they just send some troops here and haul everyone out?"

Hanji grimaced. "We can't. Think of this place as a Native American reserve. The national law has no jurisdiction in Shiganshina. That was ordained years before the Reiss family took over this place. The only reason why the national government is aware of what's going on is because it was reported by a travelling doctor. He regularly leaves Shiganshina and gives updates and reports."

"Travelling doctor… you mean Eren's Jaeger's father?" Levi's eyes widened.

"It was brought to the government's attention years ago, but they were never able to infiltrate successfully until Erwin and I came along." Hanji explained.

"This is all insane. I still don't think I understand everything you've just told me." Levi shook his head. "But I'll do what I can."

"You can start by getting back to your class. I'm sure _Historia_ is worried." Hanji told him, walking out of the bathroom.

Levi followed suit, his mind clouded in anger. After making sure his face was expressionless, Levi walked back inside his classroom. Everyone stopped talking as soon as he entered.

"Are you okay, Levi?" Historia asked worriedly.

It took every ounce of self-control not to go over to her and strangle her.

"I'm fine." He replied.

"Hey… does Levi look oddly calm to you?" Armin whispered to Eren.

"Yeah." The brunette replied quietly. "It's sorta creeping me out."

A few minutes later, the class ended. Everyone shuffled out, still worried about Levi. Eren wanted to say something to him, but didn't have the words. Just before Historia could step out with Ymir, Levi stopped her.

"Historia, will you stay after for a minute?" Levi asked.

Historia looked at Levi, then at Ymir.

"I'll stay with you." Ymir said quickly.

"No, I have to speak to her confidentially." Levi said firmly.

Ymir was about to argue, but Historia stopped her.

"It's okay. You go on ahead. I'll see you later." Historia told her.

Ymir sighed. "Okay. I'll see you later."

As soon as Ymir left, Levi shut the door. His calm expression dissipated into one of anger.

"W-What did you need to discuss with me, Levi?" Historia gulped, scared of Levi's expression.

"I found out you ratted Marco and Jean out." Levi growled. "How could you? How could you do that to someone who was innocent?"

Historia backed away. "Levi… stop."

"You're in no position to be making demands." Levi cracked his knuckles. "Undo the mess you've made. Get Marco out of prison."

Historia looked down. "I can't. It's too late."

Levi overturned one of the desks, the loud noise frightening Historia.

"Who the hell gave you the right to say that?" Levi got in the small girl's face. "Marco trusted you! You both shared a secret no one else could know. You betrayed him, me, Jean, and every other homosexual in Shiganshina. And all for _your_ benefit, so you could protect your no good family's ass! What do you think would happen if _Ymir_ was taken to prison?"

Historia gasped. "No…! Leave her out of this!"

Levi grabbed Historia's collar, lifting her up into the air. "Why should I?" He asked menacingly. "You didn't leave Marco out of it. He had no clue the drugs existed, but you brought him down so you could scare everyone else into keeping their mouths shut. But I've got news for you. _You_ will go down next if you don't fix this!"

"Let me go!" Historia grabbed at Levi's hand, clawing it with her nails.

Levi didn't feel the pain. "If you don't get him released, I will have no choice but to report Ymir. She works because her parents have no money, and they use that money to go buy alcohol from out of town. The police will just love that. Then I'll just tell them that she is gay as well. Hey, maybe she and Marco will share the same cell, and get _raped_ every night by the inmates. Does that sound fair to you?"

Levi dropped Historia. She crumpled to the ground, sobbing.

"I-I'll see what I can do!" Historia relented, her tears freefalling. "I can't promise anything! Marco has already been convicted!"

"Then _un_convict him." With that, Levi walked out of his classroom, leaving Historia in a sobbing heap.

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

Hours later, Levi was riding with Erwin to the Shiganshina Jail.

"You only get a few minutes to speak with him." Erwin told Levi.

"A few minutes is all I need." Levi snapped.

Erwin glanced at the man. "Good job with the negotiation with Historia, by the way. I'm certain things will happen soon."

"It's too early to be celebrating shit." Levi scoffed. "Marco is still in prison, Historia is hiding something, and my students are in danger because of an accidental discovery. I will not be satisfied until this damned town goes down in flames."

Erwin sighed. "Levi… I'm sorry about all of this. I did not anticipate any of this happening when I offered to take you in. Especially finding out about the Survey Corps. Just so you know, you can always leave this place forever."

"And turn my back on this? Hell no." Levi glowered. "This is a fight for freedom. There's no way I can leave."

"I expected that." Erwin chuckled darkly. "Well, we're here."

After getting clearance from security at the front gate, Erwin barely had time to park before Levi was already out of the squad car. Erwin quickly caught up with him.

"You have to calm down, Levi. If anyone inside suspects that you're going to try something on them, you will be thrown out."

"What are you talking about? I am calm." Levi muttered through clenched teeth.

Levi slowed down to match Erwin's pace. Erwin checked in with the front desk. Afterwards, a guard led Erwin and Levi to visitation. Erwin got special permission for himself to be the only police officer inside to witness and watch over Marco and Levi's conversation.

Levi sat down at the small cubicle, staring at a window of glass revealing the other side. Minutes later, Marco was roughly escorted in by a member of the Military Police.

"You have five minutes." Levi heard the officer tell Marco harshly.

As soon as he left, Marco pressed his hands against the window, his eyes wild and frightened.

He was saying something frantically, but his voice was extremely muffled.

The boy's voice was muffled. Levi pointed towards the telephone receiver before picking his up. Marco quickly pressed the receiver to his ear.

"Levi! Is Jean okay?!" Marco asked, panicked. "Historia told on us, but I told the police that I manipulated him, so he didn't get in trouble!"

Levi felt his heart break. "He's fine, Marco. He's well and attending school."

Marco sighed in relief, letting his tears fall. "Levi… you have to help me! Get me out of here, _please_!" He sobbed.

Levi noticed Marco had some bruises on his face. "We're trying everything we can, I promise. Just stay strong. God knows you're innocent. And that's something the government cannot say otherwise."

Marco sniffled. "I-I keep trying to tell myself that. The inmates… they do horrible things to me, Levi. Even some of the guards make me give them oral sex… I… I just don't know why this is happening! Why?!"

Levi couldn't say anything as Marco wept.

"…all I did was fall in love." Marco whispered.

"Alright, time's up, devil spawn." The guard came back to collect Marco.

Marco's eyes widened in horror. "Levi!" He shouted, pressing his hands against the glass again.

"I'll get you out, I swear!" Levi promised, pressing one hand against the glass as well.

"Come on!" The guard yanked Marco away, taking him back to his cell.

Levi stood there with his hand on the glass, as if frozen in time.

"Levi… we have to go." Erwin put a hand on Levi's shoulder. "There's nothing we can do for Marco right now."

Levi looked extremely pained. "You're right."

Erwin led Levi out of the prison silently, uncertain of what the future held for Marco Bodt.

* * *

**The traitor has been revealed!**

**There will be more to come. I know I've been laying heavy on the drama, but don't worry, there will be some Riren love coming soon. Not in the next chapter, but soon. It's currently March in the story, and you know what that means… EREN'S BIRTHDAY.**

**If you've enjoyed this so far, add this to your favorites and alerts. And remember…**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**See you in the next one!**

**PRK**


	10. Two Sides of a Coin

**Hey guys! SUPER SPEEDY UPDATE! I found a window of free time, and I typed up this chapter for ya! :D**

**Yeah... all of you were pissed about Historia being the traitor. For those who are asking why Historia betrayed Marco, read what Hanji tells Levi in the last chapter carefully. It's all there. :P**

**This chapter has a different pace than the previous ones. It has three different POVs: Levi and Mikasa, Eren and Armin, and Jean. Then back to Levi and Eren.**

**Thank you sooooo much for the reviews, faves, and alerts! The support is astounding! :D**

**Enjoy the chapter~!**

* * *

_**Chapter 10 **__Two Sides of a Coin_

"Levi... why don't you take off today? I'm sure Carla won't mind." Mikasa winced.

Levi had spilled ingredients and broken two wooden spoons in a duration of two hours. There was too much on his mind for him to concentrate on baking cookies. It was Saturday, so Eren had decided to go over Armin's house. It was just Mikasa and Levi in the bakery.

"I'll... be fine." Levi sighed. "But what about you? Shouldn't you be upstairs in bed? You're not in full health yet."

"I've gotten a lot better these last few weeks." Mikasa replied, getting out another wooden spoon. "I think it's because Eren has been so lively lately. It makes me feel like I can do anything."

"I see..." Levi took the spoon from Mikasa, making sure not to use too much strength when mixing the cookie dough. "Eren has that much of an effect on you?"

Mikasa nodded earnestly. "Yes. He's the light of my world. Ever since I was taken in, Eren has supported me and gave me the confidence I needed to get better. Before, I never thought I could get out of bed again. But Eren changed my mind, and now look at me. I can walk around the house without feeling faint or weak. I bet I'll be able to go outside soon."

Levi smiled to himself. Eren really can bring out the best in people, despite being a little shit. There's a glow to him that Levi hasn't seen in years.

_Wait... what am I thinking about?_ Levi shook his head. _He's just a brat that runs his mouth nonstop. Then... why do I feel warm whenever I think about him?_

Mikasa stared at the dough, then at Levi. "Um, Levi? You're mixing the dough too much. It's thinning out."

Levi stopped stirring and looked down. "Sorry. I'm just lost in thought."

Mikasa smiled slightly. "Eren does the same thing. That's why Carla and I never let him bake out here by himself."

"Speaking of which, where is she?" Levi asked, curious. "She's been gone for two days. Eren said she was going to get Dr. Jaeger from the gates."

Mikasa's expression drooped. "Yeah... but there's some trouble up there. There has to be. Whenever Grisha can't get in, Carla is able to get clearance right away. But... neither of them are back yet. I wonder what has happened to them?"

Levi frowned. _I can't tell her about the strange things going on in this town. She'll just worry herself back into sickness. I can't help but wonder if this has something to do with Dr. Jaeger leaving town. Hanji told me that he reports to the government what's going on. Did the police find out...?_

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~**_

"Armin...I know what happened to Marco." Eren paced back and forth in his best friend's bedroom. "He really is in jail. And...you were right about the culprit being one of our classmates. Levi told her to stay behind yesterday. When you went on ahead to class, I stayed outside the door and listened as best as I could."

Eren also heard Levi calling himself a homosexual. His face reddening, he decided to leave that tidbit out.

Armin paled. "But... why Historia? I'm trying to figure out what motive she could possibly have for telling. He had nothing to do with this."

"Exactly." Eren said. "Their voices were really muffled, but I was able to make out that Historia told the police that Marco and Jean were together. The motive? To protect some sort of secret her family has and scare the rest of us into not saying anything about the drugs."

"We can't tell Jean about this." Armin clutched his head. "He'll go berserk and do something stupider than usual."

"Right. So this _must _stay between you and me." Eren told him. "We have to do something. Any ideas?"

Armin took a deep breath. "It's difficult. We can't let Historia find out that we know more than she would like. And since you spoke up about the drugs first, she will be keeping an eye on you the most. Our only choice would be to leave Shiganshina with hard evidence that there are illegal dealings going on."

"Wait, do you mean _us_?" Eren's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Not us necessarily. Someone who is not bound to the travelling laws of Shiganshina." Armin replied.

"...Levi?" Eren's eyes widened.

"That's right." Armin said seriously. "When your father leaves Shiganshina, it gets harder and harder for him to get back in without raising suspicion, correct? Well, that's because he's a citizen here. Levi is not. The only problem is that now Historia is well aware of Levi's goals. If she tells the police not to let him out, they won't. Unless... he leaves the town forever and never comes back."

Eren's heart dropped. "But... he's not even been here for a year yet. And he's the greatest thing that happened to us. Are you sure that is our only option?"

"There's not much else we can do." Armin sighed sadly. "Even if Marco is miraculously released, it doesn't mean he, Jean, or any of us are safe. We know too much. We need other reinforcements to shut this place down."

Eren clenched his fists. _Why do I feel so angry with myself? Do I... regret knowing about the drugs? If I had remained ignorant, this wouldn't have happened. Marco wouldn't have gotten arrested, Levi wouldn't be in the middle of an illicit drug scandal, and my entire class wouldn't have to fear for their lives!_

"Eren..." Armin laid a hand on his shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up over this. No one could have expected this turn of events. But think about it this way; if we succeed, we'll finally have freedom. We won't be trapped, chained to religious beliefs. Isn't that what we've been dreaming for?"

"...yes." Eren's expression was fierce. "It is. But how many people have to suffer for it? How many people I care about have to go through all of this shit?"

Armin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wait… Levi is on the list of people you care about?"

Eren's face reddened. "W-Well, yes! Why wouldn't he be? He's the greatest teacher ever, and he's wicked smart. I feel like a birdbrain in comparison."

Armin giggled. "Okay, then. But... just remember to keep your head up, and remember our goals. When Marco's released, we'll all leave this place together and never look back."

Eren grabbed his backpack from a chair. "Right. And... I'll talk to Levi about leaving Shiganshina. I want to go with him."

Armin gasped. "But Eren, you can't! You're not allowed to!"

"I'll find a way, Armin! I brought him into this shit. It started when I was careless and let him follow me to our party. The least I can do is stand there with him and take the brunt of the crap he's going through for us. I will be Shiganshina's hope!" Eren said, determined.

"Okay... but be careful." Armin relented. "And remember... we need hard evidence. I doubt Historia will be bringing anymore marijuana for any of the students, so we'll have to resort to stealthy tactics."

"Right." Eren headed for the door. "I'll see you later, Armin. And if you hear about me in the hospital, it's because I told Levi I eavesdropped on him and Historia."

Armin chuckled. "Good luck."

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

Jean scuffed his shoes as he walked aimlessly through the neighborhoods. He couldn't sit still in the house all day, so he shrugged on a jacket and left the house. He told his parents goodbye, but as usual, they ignored him. Ever since he and Marco were found out all those months ago, his mother and father refused to speak to him.

A cool breeze whipped through Jean's sandy hair, and he pulled his jacket closer to him.

_When... was the last time I was this miserable? _Jean wondered. _Wait... it's always been this way. I've been blinded by the temporary happiness Marco and I shared these last two months. Things didn't change. And now Marco is gone. Where is he?!_

Jean stuffed his hands in his jean pockets. _It's strange... at school, my teachers have given me pitiful looks, as if they felt sorry for me. What for? It didn't start until Marco disappeared. In fact, one teacher patted me on the back, telling me that God will bless me for my strength. What does that mean? Do they know how close Marco and I were? Are they sad that he's gone? Or do they think Marco was some sort of bad influence, and they're glad he's gone? I'm so lost and confused. It's only been three days, and I already feel like shit again. Marco... I need you._

Jean spotted the Maria Bakery up ahead. "I wonder if the bastard is there?" He murmured.

Jean entered the bakery, and was surprised by who he found inside. "Levi? Mikasa?"

The two black haired workers looked up.

"Jean. It's been a while." Mikasa smiled lightly.

"Yeah... how've you been?" Jean asked awkwardly, feeling guilty about breaking her heart all over again. He hasn't seen or spoken to her since that incident.

Levi coughed. "Mikasa, I'm going to check on the cookies. They should be almost done. I'll be back."

When the two were alone, the silence that hung in the air was suffocating.

"...Mikasa, I'm so sorry!" Jean finally blurted out. "I never formally apologized to you for what happened. I didn't mean to hurt you! And trust me, Jaeger gave me hell about it, too. I truly am sorry-"

Mikasa lifted a hand, silencing him. "Jean, it's okay. I'm happy that you found joy with Marco Bodt. From what I've heard from Eren, he's a sweet boy. In fact, I wish to meet him one day. I bear no malice or hard feelings for you anymore. Levi talked to Eren about his bullying, and I assume he has stopped messing with you, yes?"

Jean nodded slowly. "Yeah... he did."

"Good." Mikasa sighed in relief. "Although I was happy that he defended my honor, it wasn't right for him to bully you and your boyfriend. And, I apologize for that."

Jean's eyes widened. "Mikasa..."

Levi returned from the back, the cookies he was previously baking on a silver platter. He slid open the glass behind the counter and sat them inside.

"So Jean, how have you been?" Levi asked nonchalantly.

Jean tensed. "Honestly... not so great. At all."

Mikasa looked at Jean and Levi curiously.

"I... I just want Marco back." Jean's lips made a thin line. "He's been gone for three days. That is unheard of for him. Something definitely has happened. And I feel so useless and frustrated, because I can't do _anything_. This must definitely be a punishment from a deity. This is too cruel. We're ginally happy, and this happens. Marco didn't deserve to disappear without a trace."

Mikasa's mouth opened slightly. "Marco is missing...?"

It was hard for Levi to keep a neutral face. He wanted to visibly show his frustration as well, but he had to keep a strong expression for Jean.

"Don't give up, Jean. We'll find Marco. And he'll be back in your arms before you know it. You two were meant to be together."

Jean sniffed. "Yeah..."

Levi used tongs to remove two freshly baked cookies from the counter and put it in a small plastic bag.

"Here, these are on me. Just promise me you won't cry like a little baby. Stay strong for Marco. Stay strong for yourself. Tears show weakness and defeat. I won't let you be defeated."

Jean wiped at his eyes and took the bag. "Okay. And thanks. I don't know what I would have done without you. Take care."

Jean left, his eyes dry and his face set.

Mikasa looked down at Levi. "Looks like you have the same gift Eren has. You bring out the strength people think they don't have."

Levi scoffed. "As if. I just tell things like it is. There's no point if you're not honest."

Mikasa chuckled. "Yes. But... you and Eren have different methods of bringing out the best in others. Eren's a dreamer, and his idealistic goals give others hope. And you are pragmatic. You give people a clear and concrete view of reality, and from there, they do whatever it takes to do their best. You and Eren are like a coin. You have two different sides, but together, you have great merit."

Levi smirked and looked away. "We have great merit when we're together, huh? Heh... that's interesting."

At that moment, Eren burst in the bakery.

"I'm back!" He announced.

"Oh, goody." Levi replied sarcastically.

"You better be nice to me. Don't forget I'm between you and your paycheck at school and this bakery." Eren sneered.

"If there's one thing you have in common, it's that you both have sharp tongues." Mikasa spoke up.

"Mikasa! You're up! You're not feeling dizzy, are you?" Eren asked, concerned.

"Nope, I'm okay." Her face lit up. "Whenever you're here, I always feel better."

"Heh!" Eren grinned proudly.

Eren glanced at Levi, remembering what he had to do. "Hey Levi, can I talk to you upstairs for a minute?"

Levi raised an eyebrow. "I guess. Mikasa, will you be okay out here?"

She nodded. "I'll be fine."

"Alright. Let's go, brat." Levi headed for the stairs, Eren right behind him.

Levi walked into the kitchen to talk, but Eren grabbed his arm and pulled him into his room, shutting the door behind him.

"The fuck?" Levi was a bit angry at Eren's redirection.

"We have to talk in here. I don't want Mikasa to hear any of what I'm about to tell you." Eren said. "Then again… maybe she should, so you don't end up murdering me."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Levi narrowed his eyes.

Eren gulped. "Well… I kinda eavesdropped on you and Historia yesterday, and I know what's going on. I also heard from yourself that you're gay, which I don't mind at all-"

Levi's eye twitched. "Damn it, Eren! Why do you insist on putting yourself in even more danger?"

"Because I don't want you to go through something I put you in all by yourself!" Eren defended himself. "This is all my fault. If I had kept hush on the drugs, none of this would've happened! Marco wouldn't be in jail…"

Levi tapped his foot. "No one could have predicted this outcome, Eren. But now that it's here, you need to do whatever you can to get out of it."

"But it's too late for that! Historia already knows that I know way too much!" Eren raised his voice slightly. "Just let me help you! I put you in the middle of this because of my own carelessness. There's only one thing you and I can do to end this. Forever. We have to get out of Shiganshina with evidence that there have been drug dealings here."

Levi scowled at Eren. "There is no _we_ in this situation. Your sorry ass will stay here out of the way. My first priority is getting Marco out. And I'm already working on that."

Eren trembled. "Why do you refuse my help? You asked me to trust you, so why can't you trust me as well?"

Levi was silent for a moment. "Because no matter how you look at it, you're still a child with no experience in these kinds of things. I have a history with drugs, a history that I would not like to share at this time. I know how drug dealing works. And it's a lot more difficult than you think."

Eren glowered. "A child with no experience, you say? Try living in a place your entire life where talking about freedom is like swearing! Just let me help you! We both can offer things that can help end this mess!"

Levi thought about what Mikasa said minutes earlier.

_You and Eren are like a coin. You have two different sides, but together, you have great merit._

"Fine." Levi spat. "But don't say I didn't warn you, brat."

Eren grinned. "Don't worry about me, Levi. Remember when I told you about my dream, all those months ago? I said I wanted to help people. This is it. I've been waiting for the chance to do something for someone else."

Levi closed his eyes, a slight smile on his face. "You say the shittiest things, Jaeger. You're truly remarkable."

Eren stared at Levi, feeling a warmth growing inside of him. Levi couldn't take his eyes off of Eren's handsome features. There was something captivating about Eren's sea green eyes. The attraction between them was too great to be ignored.

And all of sudden, everything went in slow motion. Eren leaned down and pressed his lips against Levi's briefly.

"…!" Levi's eyes shot open.

Eren realized what he had done.

"I…I…" Eren didn't know what to say.

_Why did I kiss him?! I just acted on my own. But… I felt so warm when I kissed him. Why is this happening?_

Before Levi and Eren truly understood what was going on, they were on the bed. Levi straddled Eren's hips, kissing him deeply. He slid his tongue into his mouth, exploring his hot cavern.

Eren closed his eyes, savoring the moment. _What is this? I feel so hot inside. Levi's tongue is touching mine. I never knew something like that could feel so good. This is… my first kiss._

Eren instinctively reached his hand up and cupped Levi's ass. It was at that moment that Levi regained his senses and pushed Eren away, getting off the bed.

Eren panted slightly. "Levi…" He began. "I l-"

Levi stared at Eren coldly, cutting him off. A chill ran down the brunette's spine.

"What the fuck were you about to say?" Levi growled. "That you love me? I don't know what that little head of yours is thinking. Just because you found out I'm gay, doesn't mean that you can just experiment on me."

"Experiment?!" Eren was astonished. "No!"

"Or, maybe you're confused about that kiss we just shared." Levi stepped threateningly towards the teen. "And since you're inexperienced at everything, you mistook that as something else. Guess what? I'm a single gay man with a decent looking piece of ass standing right in front of me, and I took advantage of it. It's nothing more. I don't have a thing for fifteen year old brats. So get that in your head right now before you wind up in jail with Marco."

Eren was shocked, unable to move a muscle. Finally, when what Levi said hit his senses, Eren ran out of his room and back out of the bakery.

"Eren?!" Mikasa called after him, surprised. She started to go after him, but she started to cough roughly, preventing her pursuit.

Levi leaned against Eren's door, regretting what he just said to Eren.

_Heh… I really got pissed. Why did I think he was using me? What motive could he have for that? And… I know this is mostly my fault. I lost my self-control in that instance. But… it is true that he has no experience with love. And he's just a kid that knows nothing about me. It's dangerous for him to have a crush on me, anyway. Look at what happened to Marco. I don't want Eren to go to prison just for having a small crush on his teacher. This is for the best. The sooner he gets over his crush on me, the safer he'll be._

Levi walked downstairs to go look for Eren.

"Levi…?" Mikasa gave him a dead serious look. "You better find him and bring him back safely. He always has dangerous when he's mad."

"Duly noted." With that, Levi left the bakery, hoping Eren is alright.

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

Eren rarely cried. Usually his tears come from anger or frustration, which is a daily occurrence. However, he never really cried sorrowful tears until today. The brunette was sitting outside the abandoned house, a place that contained good memories with his friends. His head rested on his kneecaps, and he let the tears fall. Eren refused to release any sobs. That would hurt his pride.

"Levi… you fucking bastard." Eren sniffled. "Why? Why can't I be happy for once? I never had feelings for anyone until I met him. And… he goes and does that. I can't even be free to love whomever I choose. A 'crush', he says. Don't belittle me…"

"Okay, then I won't."

Eren stiffened at the voice. He figured Levi would follow him, but not this quickly.

"I wanted to apologize for what I said." Levi sighed. "What I said was uncalled for, and most of it was untrue. I also didn't mean to include Marco. I wasn't thinking and my anger got the better of me."

"Go away." Eren muttered. "I don't want you here."

"Is that so?" The shorter man sat next to him. "Then why did you decide to sit in the one place you knew I could find you and cry?"

"Don't talk down to me!" Eren looked up and glared at Levi fiercely. "I have feelings for you. I guess I'm gay, then. I don't care. I know I'm a shitty brat, and I know I'm not the smartest, the most talented, or nicest person in the world, but when it comes to natural human responses like emotions, don't treat me like a dumbass."

"Do you really know what you're accepting into your life by being gay?" Levi narrowed his eyes. "It's not an easy lifestyle, Eren. You're going to get shit thrown at you from everyone, even people you thought were your friends. And in this place, you could go to fucking prison."

"I know that!" Eren slammed his fist on the ground. "You don't think I've thought about that? The point is, I've never been attracted to any one until I met you. Hell, one time a girl named Mina Carolina tried to touch me sexually in eighth grade behind the school. I never felt a thing. But… when you kissed me… I felt all sorts of things that I never felt before. That has to tell you something."

"You might be gay. Congratulations. Let's go celebrate by sharing a cell with Marco." Levi spat sarcastically.

"Levi!" Eren grabbed the shorter man's arm. "Do _not_ do this! Here's a question; how exactly do you feel about me?"

Levi sighed. "I don't know. I don't know because right now, we are in the midst of a civil war. This is not the time to be thinking about romantic feelings. And if you truly want to help me with this, you have to realize that, and push your feelings aside for now. At least until we get some common ground."

Eren bit his lip, uncertain. After a few minutes, Eren's expression changed to one of determination.

"I understand." Eren released Levi's arm. "I will push them aside. But… don't think that those feelings will disappear in time. As you know, I'm very stubborn and persistent."

"Trust me, I know." Levi rolled his eyes. "Only you could get me to apologize by throwing a tantrum. That takes skill."

Eren chuckled. "And only you could dissipate my anger by talking to me. That also takes skill."

"I guess…"

The two sat in silence for a while, enjoying each other's company.

"Levi… can I, hug you?" Eren spoke up.

Levi frowned. "Eren… what did I just tell you?"

"Not for romantic reasons." Eren said quickly. "Just… as a thank you. For not hating me after I kissed you. I… shouldn't have done that. I didn't consider your feelings."

Levi scooted a little closer to Eren. "Okay fine, but make it quick."

Eren draped his arms around Levi, nuzzling his face onto the side of Levi's neck. Despite Levi's own levels of willpower, his heart started beating faster, and Eren's warmth made him melt. Levi gingerly returned the hug, wrapping his arms around Eren's waist.

"As long as I can stay with you, I'll do my best." Eren murmured.

_Same here._ Levi wanted to say, but didn't have the resolve to do so. _I'm glad I met you, Eren. You've restored something I thought I had lost: spirit._

* * *

**MORE DRAMA! Not only do we have JeanxMarco problems, now we have Riren problems. When will it end?!**

**If you've enjoyed this so far, add this to your favorites and alerts. And remember…**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**See you in the next one!**

**PRK**


	11. The Raging Storm

**Hey guys! Here's your Friday update! Am I weird for wanting to type new chapters instead of attending sorority parties? Meh, I've always been a square. XD**

**So, unlike last chapter, shit hits the **_**fan**_**. Prepare yourself! This chapter is mostly centered around Jean.**

**Thank you guys soooooo much for the reviews, faves, and alerts! I'm glad you guys enjoyed the Riren last chapter. It will intensify soon!**

**Enjoy the chapter~**

* * *

_**Chapter 11** The Raging Storm_

Jean didn't know why his legs brought him outside Marco's house, but he found himself there the next day. He decided to skip out on Sunday school. He knew it would come bite him in the ass later, but he didn't care.

"Marco… are you in there?" Jean murmured, leaning his face against the front door. "If you've been hiding in here this entire time, I'm really going to be mad at you. Then I'll apologize…then hug you… and kiss you. Levi told me to be strong, and I promised him I would. I'm going to get you out of whatever mess you're in. I'm going to stop whining like a little bitch and actually do something. I swear I'll find you, Marco."

Jean cautiously knocked on the front door. As expected, he didn't get an answer.

_Marco's parents are most likely at church right now. But… I doubt Marco is there with them. When I went to our mandatory prayer sessions, Marco didn't show up. So… he must be inside._

Jean went around behind the one story house. He remembered exactly where Marco's room is. He peeked inside the window, but the drapes were drawn.

"Damn." Jean knocked on the window. There was still no answer.

"Marco…?" Jean called loudly. "If you're in there, please come out. I need to see you. You've been gone, and everyone is worried about you. I'm worried about you."

Jean stayed outside Marco's window a little longer. After about ten minutes, Jean gave up, realizing Marco is not inside the house. He went back around front and sat on the doorstep, deciding to wait for Marco's parents to come back.

_I have to confront them directly. I'm not going to hide anymore! If Marco is with them, I'm taking him away. If not, I will question them until I get answers._

Jean waited for what seemed like hours. Finally, a black Subaru pulled into the driveway. Jean's expression never faltered. He was too determined to chicken out.

"Jean Kirstein!" Mrs. Bodt smiled at the teen as she got out of the car. "What a lovely surprise!"

Jean tilted his head, confused. _Why the hell is she smiling at me? She and Mr. Bodt hate my guts!_

"We are so glad to see you, Jean." Mr. Bodt walked over to him and shook his hand. "You really did accept God's light into your soul, and it set you free from your sin. I wish I could say the same for my _son_." Mr. Bodt said with spite. "I want to formally apologize for his behavior towards you. We now know that you were trying to be a good Christian, but Marco tempted you. May God have mercy on his soul."

"Wait… what are you talking about?" Jean gaped.

"Won't you come inside, dear?" Mrs. Bodt suggested. "I'm sure you were just being a good person and wanted to see how Marco is doing."

Jean hesitantly followed Marco's parents inside. _What is going on?! _

They sat down at the kitchen table.

"Marco used to be such a kind boy." Mrs. Bodt said bitterly. "At first, my husband and I blamed you for his transition to sin. But… we finally realized that the sin was inside of him all along. In fact, we think that Marco initiated your… homosexual relationship." She coughed.

"Marco broke the law and his probation by seeing you. I'm just thankful the lovely Historia Reiss reported it." Mr. Bodt sighed.

Jean's blood ran cold. _Historia?! I'm so confused. She reported us? Then where's Marco?!_

"When the authorities came to pick up Marco, he tried to redeem himself by confessing that he tricked you into seeing him." Mrs. Bodt shook her head. "It was too late. Sins cannot be forgiven that easily. I don't think I'll be able to look at Marco again. He has shamed our family, and has tainted our lineage."

Jean's eyes widened. "Wait… what do you mean the authorities picked him up? Tricking me into seeing him?"

Mrs. Bodt patted the teen on the shoulder. "You poor thing. You really were being just a good person. You didn't even realize my son was tricking you. But you must know that not everyone is nice. I'm just sorry Marco had to be an example. At least now he's sitting in a cell, thinking about his sins. I hope God will turn him around while he's serving his time."

Jean couldn't believe what he was hearing. "So… Historia reported us, Marco said he tricked me, and he's currently in jail…?"

Mr. Bodt nodded. "I guess you really didn't hear about Marco getting arrested. I'm sorry you had to hear that from us. But… being a good friend can only go so far in this world, Jean. If Historia had not reported you two when she did, Marco could have taken you down with him. Please understand that, Jean. We are all with you. We explained to Marco's teachers what happened to him, and how you tried your best to stay clean. They promised to support you."

_That's why my teachers were being so nice to me? Because they thought Marco deceived me? Marco… he can't be in jail. He just can't! He's too sweet and caring to be in such a horrid place! _

Jean stood up silently. "I have to go."

"Oh, sure. I'll take you to the door." Mrs. Bodt stood up as well. "I'm certain this is all a shock to you. It was shock for my husband and me. We just have to pray that Marco learns his lesson and walks toward the light once again. No bad deed goes unpunished."

As soon as Jean was outside, Mrs. Bodt closed the door. He sank to the ground, his eyes wide.

"Damnit!" Jean slammed his fist on the ground. "I am such a weak piece of shit! I promised myself that I would always be there for you! And now you're in a place you don't deserve… and there's nothing I can do about it! I can't do shit!"

His anger flared when he thought about who initiated this predicament.

"Historia… you're dead." He uttered scarily. "The next time I see you, I will fill you with the fear and pain Marco is feeling. I don't know or care why you ratted us out. You'll regret this. You've dug your own grave, Historia Reiss."

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

On Monday morning, Historia and Ymir were the first ones in Levi's classroom. The man restrained himself from glaring at the blond girl as she chatted with Ymir. As more kids filled the room, he stood up and stepped out of the room. He was still fuming from Historia's betrayal, and he had to go calm down and clear his mind if he was going to teach correctly. He went inside the boy's bathroom.

When Jean stormed in five minutes before the bell rang, he had his eyes on Historia. He slammed the door shut, startling the entire class.

"Dude, what's up with you?" Connie raised an eyebrow. "You look like shit."

Eren glanced at Armin worriedly.

Jean didn't say a word. He walked over to Historia and stood in front of her.

"…Jean?" Historia tilted her head.

_Slap!_

The entire class gasped when Jean backhanded Historia across the face.

"You _bitch_!" He shouted, this time lunging for a punch.

"Stop you asshole! Get your hands off of her!" Ymir grabbed Jean, but it was no use. His strength matched his rage.

"What are you doing?!" Eren jumped up to assist Ymir. Reiner and Bertolt got up as well.

Historia shielded her face as Jean dealt blow after blow. She cried out when Jean managed to scrape her cheek.

"You're a conniving, manipulative witch!" Jean roared. "I hope you suffer the same fate as Marco!"

Armin sank in his desk, shivering. _Oh no…_

"Stop it!" Eren pulled as hard as he could on Jean. "She isn't worth it!"

Eren felt an arm on his shoulder pull him away. At that moment, the assault ended. Jean was thrown to the other side of the room, and he landed on the floor with a loud thud.

"Levi…?" Eren gasped.

Levi had a frightening look on his face. Historia scrambled over to Ymir, bruises forming on her cheeks. She cried in Ymir's arms.

"Come with me, _now_. Both of you." He ordered threateningly to Jean and Historia.

"No!" Ymir gripped Historia tightly. "I'm not letting her near that animal!"

Levi's glare pierced Ymir. "She will not be harmed. Release her _now_."

Ymir wanted to resist, but she knew it would be unwise to do so.

"Historia, come see me afterwards." Ymir whispered to her. "If anything else happens, tell me."

Historia nodded silently and stood up, following Levi out of the room. Jean got up off the floor, still in pain from his landing. He limped out.

"What the fuck just happened?" Sasha quivered.

"Yeah, he just went for her." Reiner shook his head. "I knew Jean was an asshole, but I never thought he would hit girls."

"Jean will pay for this." Ymir growled. "_No one_ touches my goddess and gets away with it! I will kick his ass as soon as I see him again!"

Eren gave Armin an exasperated look. "How…? How did he find out about Historia?" He whispered anxiously.

"I don't know." Armin was still shaken. "But now it's added more problems. Jean is blind with anger. And he'll probably try to do something reckless to try and get Marco out. Everything is going to shit in this place. Before we know it, we'll all never see the light of day again."

Eren clenched his fists. _Levi… please do something. You're the only one who can help Jean now._

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**_

Levi took Historia and Jean to the teacher's lounge. As expected, it was empty, so Levi locked the door behind him.

"Both of you have a seat." He said harshly.

Jean and Historia sat at different corners of the room. Historia was rubbing her face, and Jean was gritting his teeth.

Levi shook his head. "Jean… I don't know how you found out about Historia, but did you honestly think beating her up, no matter how much she deserved it, was a good idea? Did you think that would get Marco out of prison? All that did was give you a higher chance of winding up in a cell as well. When I told you to stay strong for Marco, that didn't mean pick fights."

Levi directed his gaze to Historia. "If you're smart, I suggest you don't mention any of this to anyone. Don't forget that Ymir is still on the line."

Historia hiccupped. "I-I know." She stammered. "I won't say a word."

"I swear to God, if you don't get him out, I will kill you." Jean growled at Historia. "Not even your precious Ymir can stop me."

"Jean, that's enough." Levi told him. "Your empty threats won't fly here."

"Empty?!" Jean stood up ferociously. "How _dare_ you! You have no idea what's going through my mind right now! You promised us that we would be safe! But it turned out that was a shitty vow, because Historia betrayed us! We shouldn't have let her and Ymir in on our confidential meetings. She's the devil's incarnate if I ever saw one!"

Levi's expression was grim. Even though Jean's words were true, it didn't change the present.

"Um…it turns out that there is only one way Marco could ever get out of jail immediately." Historia spoke up.

"What is it?! Tell me!" Jean barked, taking a step towards her.

"_Sit down_." Levi glared at him.

Jean reluctantly did what he was told.

Historia stared at her shoes. "This has never been done before, but I read through my parent's books on the history of Shiganshina. If a prisoner feels that he or she has been wrongly accused, a trial can be proposed. The prosecuted can speak before a person of the government with three other people. On the other hand, there will be up to four other people speaking against the accused. However… the final judgment lies with the government official. There is no jury."

"…I can't believe this." Jean clutched his head. "Marco's life is riding on a government official?! One of _your_ peers, Historia?"

Historia nodded slowly, her lip quivering. "Yes."

Jean began to laugh. "Ha... ha ha ha. I can't believe how calm everyone is. Historia, you're the worst. If Ymir was in Marco's shoes, you'd be freaking out as much as I am."

"You're mistaken." Historia said. "If I could, I would be bawling my eyes out. But I can't. Only Ymir can bring out my true emotions. I'm so used to holding them in, that sometimes I feel like I can't even feel anything. If she was here right now, I would be wailing for Marco."

Levi stared at Historia. "You better hope Marco wins this trial. If not, you might just go missing and never be seen again."

Historia nodded sullenly. "I figured. I will personally propose Marco's trial. At least then, he won't be in jail. He will be allowed to go home on house arrest until the trial. Once a trial is proposed, it takes about a month to prepare it. So, at the very least, Marco will be at home for a month."

"So what happens if he wins the trial?" Levi inquired.

"All probations will be dropped, and he will not be labeled as a sinner. Marco will be able to stay at home, or have the choice to leave Shiganshina." Historia replied.

"What?" Levi's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "He could leave?"

"Yes. It is compensation for the prosecuted getting wrongly accused. Their contract will be terminated, and they can leave the town forever." Historia explained.

Jean looked extremely relieved. "Marco... he can leave? That would make me so happy."

"On the other hand, what happens if he loses?" Levi tensed.

"He will remain in prison for as long as Pastor Nick deems necessary. Which, if he so chose, could be for the rest of his life." Historia answered.

The room was deathly silent.

"Well, then I'll have to make sure Marco wins." Levi finally said. "Historia, propose the trial. I will do everything in my power to make sure Marco has every reliable resource to win."

"Who will be the three people that speak with Marco?" Jean asked.

"Three people that are in the same boat as Marco when it comes to sexuality." Levi said. "You, me, and Eren Jaeger."

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**_

When Levi, Jean, and Historia returned to the classroom, everyone was eerily quiet. When Jean walked to his seat, he received hateful stares from Ymir and Reiner.

"Historia, are you alright?" Ymir asked lovingly.

"I'll be okay. Levi gave me ice to put on my face." Historia replied as cheerfully as she could.

Levi stood in front. He, Jean, and Historia discussed what he would explain to the class about the fight and Marco's situation. One of them Historia revealing that she is a lesbian.

"Everyone." Levi began. "All of you right now are in danger of ending up where Marco is right now. He was arrested last week."

The class gasped.

"But... why Marco? He's so nice!" Sasha wailed. "He let me have his lunch a couple of times!"

"Was he in trouble for... you know." Bertolt felt uncomfortable bringing up Jean and Marco's relationship.

"If you're referring to Jean, then yes." Levi replied. "Someone reported them being together. Imagine what would happen if someone reported you guys for handling drugs and alcohol." He peered at his students.

"We can get Marco out, right?" Ymir asked, feeling the tiniest bit sorry. "I mean, he never hurt anyone."

"We're working on that." Levi said. "But you guy's job is to keep quiet. Do not tell a soul about what we've discussed. And if you find anything interesting, do _not_ tell your peers." Levi looked pointedly at Historia. "Come straight to me.

"Does this correlate to why Jean put his hands on Historia?" Reiner frowned at the sandy haired student.

Jean looked away.

"Don't be mad at him!" Historia stood up. "He's gone through so much these last few days, after finding out Marco was imprisoned. He feels like he's the only gay person going through this. And... I am gay too, but I'm merrily sitting here with Ymir while Jean's other half is gone. He just got mad at our happiness and just took it out on me. Which, can you blame him? I wasn't thinking about how Jean could have been feeling."

Everyone was stunned. Jean just bit his lip.

_Sure... that's partly why I was upset. I mean, she's all snuggly with Ymir while Marco and I are suffering. But... the fact that she betrayed Marco is by far the biggest reason why I'm angry._

"Historia... you're... with Ymir?" Reiner stammered.

Historia felt shame fill her. "Yes. You guys... don't mind, right?"

"Of course not!" Sasha cried. "We all knew Ymir was gay, and we never really cared that Marco and Jean were gay. Well, except Eren."

"Don't bring that up!" Eren shouted.

"I'll support you Historia, no matter what." Reiner said firmly. "We all will."

"I guess I can forgive you Jean." Ymir said to him. "Just don't touch her ever again."

"I don't plan to. You can have her." Jean snapped, a bit more harshly that he meant to.

"Jean doesn't know what he's missing out on." Connie laughed, slapping him on the back.

"Marco's awesome, I will admit that, but Historia's a princess!" Sasha cooed.

Instead of feeling better, Historia felt worse. She's a traitor, and here she is getting all of this support from people she called her friends.

Eren and Armin noticed Historia's guilty expression.

"When do you think she'll break and confess that she betrayed Marco?" Eren asked Armin quietly.

Armin sighed. "I dunno. But there are more important things to focus on now. Didn't Levi just say that he's working on getting Marco out? There's no way he would announce that to our class unless he had an actual plan."

"You're right!" Eren reveled. "I'll have to ask him about that later. Armin, things are looking up. Maybe we'll see the light of day after all."

Armin laughed softly. "Perhaps. But it's still too early to tell. We can celebrate a victory when Marco is safe. That's the main goal right now."

"I know we can do it. We won't lose. Not as long as we have hope. With that, we can keep on fighting." Eren replied.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class.

"Have you noticed that haven't had like a normal class for like week?" Sasha was saying as she left the room.

"Shhh! Don't bring it to Levi's attention!" Connie whacked Sasha on the back of her head. "He might actually start giving us homework again."

"Historia, let's go." Ymir called to her girlfriend.

Historia was scribbling something on a piece of paper. "I'm coming!"

She finally finished and folded the paper. She laid it on Jean's desk before leaving.

"Huh?" Jean picked up the folded piece of paper.

Just as Armin and Eren were about to leave, Levi stopped them. "Eren, come straight here after your last class." He ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Eren replied playfully.

Levi glanced at Jean. He was reading the paper Historia gave him.

_Jean,_

_I am a horrible person. I've known that my entire life, but this makes it even more true. When you slapped me, that knocked some sense that I had lost back into me. I know you will never forgive me for my betrayal, but I want you to know that I am truly sorry. I will do everything I can as well to get Marco out, starting with which government official will be the judge at Marco's trial._

_Ever since I've met you and Marco, both of you have been very kind to me, never once mistreating me. I can't reveal too much to you, as then your life will be in danger as well, but let me tell you this._

_I reported Marco to draw attention away from the drugs Eren found. If word got out that you guys know about it, not only will I be in trouble, but so will all of you. I had to protect my family's secret. Otherwise, this town will fall apart, and every citizen living here could be killed._

_I didn't want Marco to be the sacrifice, but I felt at the time I had no choice. I tried to not feel bad about it, but it was impossible. Now, I feel as though I'm a soulless carcass._

_Thank you for beating me up. It helped get my head together. May God be with you._

_Historia_

Tears pricked at Jean's eyes. He hated Historia with all of his soul. Nothing could ever pacify that anger. But he felt as though he could respect the girl for having the audacity to try and save Shiganshina. Why did it have to be Marco? _Why?_

Levi was reading the note over Jean's shoulder like a nosy girlfriend. "So that's why she did it?

Jean flinched at Levi's voice. "Levi!"

"Like I said earlier, all new information discovered goes straight to me." Levi took the note from Jean. "And this is not the time to get sappy. Historia is still a threat. And her family is, too. After we get Marco out, our next step is to find out why everyone is Shiganshina is in danger if word of the drugs get out."

Jean stood up and gathered his things. "Okay."

"Come back here after your last class. I have to talk to you and Jaeger about Marco's trial." Levi said.

"Of course." With that, Jean left the classroom.

Levi sat down at his desk chair and reread Historia's note.

_Historia is certainly going through a lot of trouble, more trouble than any normal human being. I'll have to show this to Hanji and Erwin as soon as possible. Just what is going on with the Reiss family? _

* * *

**That's all for now! More plot has been revealed! **

**If you've liked the story so far, add this to your favorites and alerts!**

**And remember...**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**See you in the next one!**

**PRK**


	12. Resolution

**Hey guys! Happy Saturday!  
**

**Thank you guys so much for the reviews! I really appreciate you guys. I am so glad that so many people are supportive!  
**

**Enjoy the chapter~!**

* * *

_**Chapter 12 **__Resolution_

Levi stared at Eren and Jean when they arrived in his classroom hours later. Jean was extremely tense, and Eren looked uncertain.

_There's no way I can tell them that Marco got raped. _Levi shook his head._ There's just no way. Jean is hurt enough. Imagine what would happen if he knew what really went on behind cell bars. These kids have no idea what jail is really like. That's why they're so optimistic and hopeful for Marco's release. But… I know I will have to bring it up. Jean can't hear it from me during the trial. He has to know before then. But how do I do that?_

Levi exhaled deeply, feeling conflicted.

"Levi?" Eren looked at his teacher curiously.

Pulling himself together, Levi sat down next to his two students. "Jean knows this already, but Marco's only shot of getting out of prison is by a trial."

Eren tilted his head. "Trial?"

"Yes. It's never been done before, apparently. A government official is the final judge. He will listen to both sides of this case. Marco gets to have three people represent him. I'm hoping he will allow us to represent him, since the three of us know the most about what's going on, and the fact that we share a common trait."

"What's that?" Eren asked.

Jean looked at Eren. "All three of us are gay. I'm surprised at you, Jaeger. Who on earth could have done the impossible and made you switch teams?"

Eren did his best to hide his reddening face. "None of your business, horse face."

"Is it someone tall, dark, and handsome like Bertolt?" Jean smirked, leaning in. "Or is it someone small, blond, and cute like Armin?"

"No, it's like a mixture of both." Eren looked away. "He's small, but he is dark and handsome."

Levi didn't know whether to say thank you or punch Eren in the face.

Jean tapped his chin, obviously not catching on. "Huh. So it's no one in our Japanese class. I guess I'll have to keep a look out for this 'small, dark and handsome.'"

"No, don't make 'small, dark, and handsome' a thing." Eren groaned.

Levi clapped his hands together, getting the attention of his students. "I know both of you have the attention span of a squirrel, but can we please focus? Marco's life is riding on us."

Jean looked downhearted again. Levi suddenly wished he hadn't said anything. That was the first time Jean looked remotely like his former self in days.

"I'm sorry. Here I am laughing with this idiot, and my boyfriend is in danger. I'm a terrible person."

"No, you're not." Levi sighed. "For a while, I thought you would go deep into a hole and never come back out of it."

"…is that supposed to be a sexual joke or something?" Eren piped up.

_Wham!_

Levi smacked Eren over the head.

"Jesus Christ, Eren! Can you _not _think with your dick for just one second?" Levi scowled. "I know you just found out you preferred them instead of vaginas, but seriously."

Jean chuckled. "It's alright. I'd rather be like this than be gloomy all the time. If I keep smiling and laughing like I'd always done, when Marco gets out, things might go back to the way they were. He won't have to think that he'll suffer even more."

Levi felt guilt eating him up. _He has no idea. Marco has been traumatized. Things will never go back to normal. He will have to live with the fact that he lost his virginity to sweaty old men that don't give a fuck about him. I would be surprised if Marco even wanted to see Jean. But... I have to tell Jean. The sooner he know,s the sooner he will deal with his anger and emerge stronger.  
_

Levi exhaled deeply. "Before we even prepare for this trial, I have to tell both of you something that you don't want to hear. In fact, it's foolish to even tell you. It's… about something that happened to Marco. If we are going to convince the judge of Marco's innocence, we have to bring this up."

"What are you talking about?" Jean asked. "What happened to Marco?"

Levi clenched his fists. "He… was raped."

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

After ten minutes, Levi's entire classroom was in extreme disarray. All of the desks and chairs were overturned, papers and books were everywhere, and Levi had a bruise on his hand.

"Jean! Please don't!" Eren was trying his best to keep his tall friend pinned on the ground. "You know this isn't Levi's fault! It's the fucking government!"

"Levi _knew_ Marco was raped, and kept it quiet?!" Jean roared. "He didn't try to save him!"

"There's nothing he could have done!" Tears were streaming down Eren's face. "You know that! And you know he's feeling just as much pain as you are! Redirect this anger to the trial so we can him outta there!"

Levi snapped out of his state of shock and went to help Eren detain Jean. "Jean, if we are going to get Marco out, you have to control your anger and hatred. There's no doubt that the opposing party will try and push our buttons during the trial. Once the trial is issued, Marco will be safe at home for the time being. He won't be in danger of getting raped anymore. He will need lots of time to heal, and how can he do that if you're flying around in rage? He will need support from us."

Jean's anger flared at Levi's calm tone. "You have no idea what this is like, do you?! He is _my_ lover! No one else is allowed to touch him! All I can do is sit here on my ass while Marco is getting hurt!"

"I _do_ know what it's like to feel helpless!" Levi narrowed his eyes. "I do know what it's like to have someone get hurt! My two best friends _died_ because of me!"

Jean's eyes widened in shock. "What…?"

Levi sat up, his expression hard and cold. "When I was growing up in a poor neighborhood in Mitras, I had two friends; Furlan Church and Isabel Magnolia. They were all I had. We were like a family. We went to school together, up through high school, and even college. We vowed to get a good life and make it out of the streets together. But… I got caught up in some drugs, and they took the fall for me. It was _my_ fault. A guy tried to steal the drugs I had, threatening to kill me. Furlan and Isabel tried to protect me, and both got a shot to the head, bullets that were meant for _me_. And all I could do was stand there in horror."

Eren bit his lip. "Levi…"

"Fortunately, Erwin Smith, an old acquaintance of mine, rescued me a few years later, right when my addiction to drugs was at an all-time high. That's why I'm here. To get my life together, like Furlan and Isabel wanted to do. Every single day, I hope that what I'm doing makes them proud. I owe it to them. And I owe it to myself. That's why I cannot sit here and watch all of you go down like this. So please… trust me."

Jean sat up as well. "Levi… I'm sorry. I had no idea. Marco...is alive. That's all that matters."

Levi nodded, getting up off the ground. "Help me pick up this mess." He gestured towards the desks. "Just standing here in front of it is pissing me off."

"Yes." Jean and Eren both stood up and got to work.

After minutes of awkward silence, Levi finally said something.

"Before we can even build our case, we need to know more about the history of Shiganshina." Levi said, trying to calm his nerves. "Historia said she had a book, but seeing as though the only copy is in the Reiss residence, it would be risking too much for her to bring it to us. So, I'm going to leave the city as soon as I can with Erwin and see if I can get my hands on another copy, or at least a source with valuable information in Mitras."

"I'm coming with you." Eren said firmly.

"What?" Levi frowned. "No, you're not. You're staying here where you'll be safe."

"Safe?" Eren almost laughed. "I've never been safe here. None of us have. In fact, mother and father still have not come back. Mikasa and I are by ourselves."

Levi's eyes widened. "Is that so?"

"Yes. So, please. Let me come. I kinda got you into this mess anyway. The least I can do is help out."

There was a sudden knock on Levi's door.

"Quickly, hide somewhere." Levi hissed to Jean and Eren.

They both hurried to Levi's desk and hid underneath it. Satisfied that they were well hidden, Levi opened the door.

"Hanji?" Levi was surprised.

From under the desk, Eren and Jean held onto each other for dear life.

"Hey!" Hanji greeted him cheerfully. "I already know your students are hiding under your desk, so can I speak to you outside the room, please?"

"…" Levi glanced back at his desk. Sure enough, he could see Jean's foot.

"You're sharper than I expected." Levi smirked. "Very well."

Levi stepped out and shut the door. "So what is this about?"

"I was kinda eavesdropping on you, Eren, and Jean." Hanji replied.

"Wait, what? You were eavesdropping?" Levi scowled. "I knew you were absolute shit, but that's an all-time low."

Hanji laughed. "You gotta do what you gotta do. And…I really am sorry about what happened to Marco. If only we had done something sooner."

"Historia is working on issuing the trial. As soon as it's issued, Marco will be at home. I will talk with him the best I can. The damage has already been done, but I hope that Marco will do his best to stay strong for the trial. Then, he can work on healing."

"That sounds about right." Hanji nodded. "And I overheard you needed some information on the history of Shiganshina. The good news is, there is such a source in Mitras. The bad news is, you can't get access to it."

"And why not?" Levi narrowed his eyes.

"The government here is smarter than they should be. All documents relating to this place can only be accessed by a natural born citizen of Shiganshina. Unfortunately, you, Erwin, me, and all of our secret intelligence were not born here. In fact, many of the adults that are living here weren't born here."

"How is that even possible?" Levi asked, shocked.

"I don't know." Hanji sighed. "It's all in the history of Shiganshina. The government officials, excluding Pastor Nick, were all born here, so naturally they have access. And since the rules for leaving Shiganshina are strict, it is impossible for natural born citizens to even leave. Which is why…"

"…Eren has to come." Levi finished matter-of-factly.

Hanji nodded. "If you and Erwin can successfully sneak him out, he could use his issued ID to gain access to the documents. It's the perfect loophole. The government never specified _which_ natural born citizens can request information on Shiganshina."

Levi exhaled deeply. "As long as Eren is willing to take the risk, I guess I see no problem with it. At least there's a viable reason for the brat to actually come. So, where are these documents held?"

"In the Mitras National Library." Hanji told him. "The largest library in the country. The secret documents are locked up, of course. Eren will have to go to the security desk to request them. His ID is mandatory. I suggest you guys go before the trial is officially issued. If Historia does that today, then you only have less than a week to get out. No doubt the government will force you to sign papers, agreeing to stay in Shiganshina until the trial concludes."

"Alright." Levi crossed his arms. "I'll ask Erwin if we can leave Friday night so we can arrive Saturday morning. Since he's an officer, clearance to leave Shiganshina won't be too difficult."

"Oh! Saturday is my birthday!" Eren's voice exclaimed from behind the closed door.

Irritated, Levi yanked the door open, causing Eren and Jean to fall down.

"You brats really need to learn how to keep your mouths shut." Levi glowered.

"I apologize." Jean sighed. "I just really want to know what we can do to get Marco safe. I don't want anyone else touching him _ever_ again!"

Hanji closed her eyes. "Well, now that you two know that I'm involved, I have no choice but to execute you both."

"What?!" Eren and Jean cried in unison.

Hanji burst out laughing. "Fooled ya! You guys looked so adorable!"

"This is no time for jokes!" Jean suddenly flared. "I'll see you tomorrow, Levi."

With that, Jean gathered his things and stormed out, trying his best not to cry.

"Sometimes… you just have to keep laughing in troubled times." Hanji's expression turned serious. "It's the only thing that can keep you from going insane."

Eren looked down at his shoes. "I know what you mean, Miss Zoe. For me, the drinking and drugs kept me from downright killing myself. All of this seems so surreal, and I'm having trouble seeing the reality of this. I feel optimistic, but at the same time, this sinking feeling is tugging on me. I just want this to end. I wanna be free. I want Marco to be alright."

"Well then, let's get to work." Levi said firmly. "Reminiscing won't do anything. If you really are coming with me to Mitras, we have to arrange a safe place for Mikasa to stay. It looks like your parents are caught in something and won't be back anytime soon."

"She can stay with me." Hanji spoke up. "It's actually the safest place for her to go. The government won't dare step foot into my house."

"I don't know about that." Eren scowled. "I don't feel comfortable with Mikasa being with someone who likes to experiment on everything that breathes. She's sickly."

Hanji chuckled. "I promise to take good care of her. You can trust me, Eren."

"He has no choice in the matter." Levi crossed his arms. "Mikasa will be staying with you, Hanji."

"It'll be like a two day sleepover! We'll have so much fun!" Hanji squealed. "We'll tell embarrassing stories back and forth, like the time Historia first got her period at the beginning of the school year, and she thought she was dying!"

"Period…? What's that?" Eren tilted his head.

"Nothing important." Levi quickly shoved Eren back into the classroom. "Get your things so we can get outta here."

Hanji grinned. "It feels good to finally have a plausible plan. I can almost taste salvation."

"Just don't let it go to your head. There's a lot of work to be done." Levi reminded her. "So let's get started."

* * *

**Yes, I know this was a bit of a short chapter, but in the next one, Levi and Eren will be leaving for Shiganshina! Hurray!  
**

**What will the two find in the documents of Shiganshina's history? We'll see!**

**Also, things are starting to get intense in my schoolwork, so free time might be scarce. I have another SnK story I had started working on a while ago, and I was planning on releasing it after Sugar and Spice and Eyes of the Beholder ended. But, I don't want to leave you guys hanging with nothing from me for a long period of time, so I may start putting up the chapters I had already written out. Things will hopefully die down soon.  
**

**I have a poll up on my profile, so vote and let me know if I should release it in between chapters of Sugar and Spice! The story is called Audacity.**

**If you've enjoyed this so far, add this to your favorites and alerts!**

**And remember…**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**See ya in the next one!**

**PRK**


	13. Test of Faith

**Hey guys! I (barely) made it through midterms, so here's an update to celebrate! I know it took a while, but MIDTERMS! They were the death of me. **

**Thank you so much for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! Looks like you all are excited for Levi and Eren finally going to Mitras. I sure am! **

**Since this part of the story is extremely long, I had to make it a two parter so you guys wouldn't have to wait longer than you had to. I'm certain I can get the second part out faster. :D**

**Enjoy the chapter~**

* * *

_**Chapter 13 **__Test of Faith _

Levi would love to say that things between him and his class have gotten a lot better, but that would be a bold faced lie. During the rest of the week, Levi could tell that his class was on edge. As reality sat in about Marco, no one spoke much.

Ymir was even more protective of Historia more than before. She never let her go anywhere by herself, not even to the restroom. This proved difficult for Levi to get a word in with Historia over her progress with Marco's trial. Forcing Ymir to go away would only make her more suspicious. Levi did not want Ymir finding out about her being a bargaining chip for Historia's compliance. Ymir would gladly throw her life away for her.

Jean started to look extremely unhealthy. He started sporting bags under his eyes, and his complexion was pale. Levi knew talking to him further would be a bad idea. Jean has to deal with Marco's reality, and whether Jean has the strength to do so was still in question.

The pressure was really starting to take a toll on Levi. He was just one man. A very intelligent and hardworking man, but still just one.

After class ended on Friday, Levi considered breaking into the jail and getting Marco out. But he knew that would be foolish. As he was having those thoughts, Historia quickly walked up to his desk and slipped him a folded note before Ymir noticed.

"Let's go." Ymir grabbed Historia's hand.

"Okay…" Historia looked back at Levi before allowing Ymir to lead her out.

Eren and Armin were the last in the classroom. The brunette walked past Levi on his way to the door.

"I'll see you at 6, right?" Eren asked.

Levi gave him a slight nod. "Yeah."

Eren stopped at the door, hesitating on leaving Levi alone.

"Hey Armin, you can go on without me. I'll catch up."

"Sure." Armin replied, expressionless.

As soon as Armin was out of earshot, Eren walked over to his teacher.

"What are you doing?" Levi scowled at the brunette. "You need to get to class. This is definitely not the time to be slacking off. The government will look at your school records before the trial, I'm sure."

"I figured that." Eren told him, scratching the back of his head. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm here for you. I trust and respect you the most out of everyone in this crappy place. And… I hope you can trust me too. I know I have a huge responsibility to carry out, and I'm ready. Whatever you say, I'll do it. You have my word."

Levi sighed. "If I didn't trust you, I would have asked someone else from the class to do this. You have the actions to back up your words. You're pretty gutsy."

Eren's cheeks reddened slightly, not really knowing what 'gutsy' meant. "Thanks. Well, I'll be going."

Eren hurried out, feeling his passion for Levi grow bigger. Levi, on the other hand, felt his heart shrink.

Trying to refocus his mind, Levi opened Historia's note.

_Levi,_

_The trial has been issued. Marco will be released later today. _

Levi let out a huge sigh in relief. Even though one problem was resolved, it was too early to celebrate. From here on out, things will get more difficult.

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

Eren paced back and forth outside Mikasa's room. How was he going to tell her that he's leaving for the capital? Will she even agree to stay with Hanji, a complete stranger? Mikasa may be unwell, but she is pretty strong when angered.

Eren looked at the clock. 5:55 pm. Levi would be here in a few minutes. Deciding to get it over with, Eren walked upstairs to break the news to his sister.

"Mikasa?" Eren knocked on her door.

"Come in, Eren." She replied.

Eren walked in and sat on the chair next to her bed. "Mikasa… something's happened, and I'm partly responsible."

"Are you in trouble?" Mikasa quickly sat up.

"…not really. But Jean's boyfriend is." Eren replied solemnly.

"Eren, what's going on?" Mikasa looked at her adoptive brother worriedly.

"I can't say a lot." Eren closed his eyes. But I will tell you that I'm going to the capital tonight with Levi."

"What?!" Mikasa gasped. "But you can't leave!"

"Levi found a way. And I have to leave. This is for Marco's sake!" Eren insisted.

"Why…?" Mikasa bit her lip. "Grisha went missing, and then Carla next. Are you leaving me, too?"

"No! Of course not." Eren put his hand on Mikasa's. "Everything in this town is going to shit, and Marco is in the middle of it. I have to go to the capital. I'm sorry I can't tell you everything, but it's for your own sake."

Mikasa closed her eyes. "You won't do anything stupid?"

"I promise I won't."

She sighed. "Fine. But as soon as you and Levi get back, you're telling me everything."

"Deal." Eren smiled slightly. "And so you won't be here alone, do you mind staying with my biology teacher Hanji Zoe? She's… a bit insane, but she's super smart. She is also involved in this mess, so I'm sure she could explain things better to you than I can."

Mikasa looked reluctant. "I don't know, Eren. You know I'm not that trusting with strangers."

"That's fine, but please trust _me_. You'll be alright with Hanji." Eren assured her.

"… I'll go pack my things." Mikasa relented.

At that moment, the bakery door opened, and Eren could hear Hanji's boisterous voice, along with a "Shut up" from Levi.

"They're here." Eren said. "I'll come back here to get you in a few minutes."

With that, the brunette downstairs. Along with Levi and Hanji, there was a tall blond man too.

_That must be the officer Erwin Smith. I remember his face. He almost caught me drinking once._ Eren shuddered.

All traces of intimidation disappeared when he saw how close he was to Levi, both literally and figuratively. Eren recalled Levi telling him that he and Erwin were old friends. The brunette knew this was the wrong time to feel jealousy, but he couldn't help it. Competition seemed unavoidable.

"It's time." Levi gave Eren a serious look.

"Yeah." Eren nodded. "Mikasa's almost ready to leave as well."

"Good. Can I speak to her for a second?" Levi began walking up the stairs without waiting for a response.

"Er… sure?" Eren was a little confused, but just let it go over his head.

Levi knocked gently on Mikasa's door. "Mikasa, it's Levi."

Mikasa immediately opened her door. "What are you making Eren do?! He said he couldn't tell me! And what happened to Marco?"

Levi walked inside her room. "Calm down, Mikasa. I promise you I'll do everything to make sure he's safe. I… just can't reveal anything to you. You're like Marco at this point. He knew nothing about what's going on in this town, yet he's in trouble. Since you're already affiliated with Eren, you're danger as well. I can't take the risk of something happening to you too, which brings me to my next point…"

Levi crossed his arms. "Do you know how to defend yourself?"

Mikasa stopped packing for a brief moment. "Defend myself?"

"Yes." Levi replied. "Do you have any previous knowledge of physical combat?"

"Before my mother died, I was taught some self-defense." Mikasa replied. "And I picked up a few things when I was out alone on the streets. Why?"

"If anyone tries to target you, you'll have to use those skills to get out of here." Levi told her. "It's for your own safety. But, first and foremost if you have a chance to escape, take it. Do not fight back. Only do it if you have no other choice, understand?"

Mikasa nodded slowly.

"Good, now let me take you through a few possible scenarios, and what to do if it happens…"

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**_

Fifteen minutes later, Levi helped Mikasa downstairs with a packed backpack.

Eren walked over and hugged his overprotective sister tightly. "Take care, Mikasa. I'll only be gone until Sunday."

"Ok. Please be careful." Mikasa returned the embrace. "If you're not, I'll never forgive you."

Eren laughed lightly. "I promise."

"We don't have all evening, ladies." Levi scowled, promptly ending the sappy scene playing in front of him.

Eren ruffled Mikasa's hair. "I'll see you soon."

"Hi Mikasa, I'm Hanji Zoe." The bespectacled brunette smiled at her. "You'll be staying with me for a couple of days."

Levi leaned in towards Mikasa. "If she walks up to you with a scalpel, do the third defense mechanism I showed you." He murmured.

"Hey!" Hanji pouted. "I'm not going to do anything like that!"

"Get going, shit glasses. We don't need people seeing all of us leaving at once." Levi rolled his eyes.

Mikasa took one last look at her brother before leaving the house with Hanji.

As soon as Hanji's vehicle took off, Levi looked back at Erwin and Eren.

"Erwin, start preparing the brat on what's to come." Levi instructed him. "I'll be in the car reading Shiganshina's law book. It's long as hell."

Erwin chuckled. "Sure."

The blond man faced the brunette. Eren gulped at Erwin's piercing stare. It was as if he was scanning him for something.

"So Eren, we have to take a lot of precautions for this operation." Erwin finally said. "Since you are only fifteen, there will be a bunch of red flags with security once they let you in to see the documents. So we will have to make you look older, starting with your choice of clothes. I'm assuming you have a dress shirt, dress pants, and dress shoes, correct."

"Yes." Eren replied politely.

"Good. So you can bring those with you. Levi will work with you on the way you speak to security."

"Okay." Eren nodded.

"Next up, we have to find a way to get a copy of the documents since we can't take them with us." Erwin continued. "So we have this."

Erwin reached in his pocket and handed Eren a small rectangular object. Eren stared down at the green packaging.

"...this is chewing gum." Eren said dumbly.

Erwin smiled patiently. "That's just a disguise. Inside is a camera. Let me show you how to work it."

Erwin took the camera back, using his fingernails to pull the small camera out. "This is a spy camera. I've had to use these before when infiltrating places. You see this button right here?" He pointed to the side of the camera.

Eren nodded in affirmation.

"That's the on button." Erwin explained. "Once it's on, you can either take a picture or capture video. When you first turn it on, it's already on the option to take a picture, so you don't have that to worry about. Now, you'll push this button in the middle to take a picture. When you have the documents, you'll have to do that for each page. It's concrete evidence."

"Got it." Eren nodded, taking the camera back.

"You can practice with it later." Erwin smiled. "Lastly, you'll need this."

Erwin took out a Bluetooth earpiece. "You'll use this earpiece to communicate with Erwin and Levi when you're inside. It also makes you look professional."

Eren looked at the earpiece in awe. "It looks so weird, but it's cool. I wish I had stuff like this."

"That's modern technology for you." Erwin replied. "Something in which this town lacks. But remember, these devices are not toys. Treat them with care."

"I understand." Eren assured him. "Officer Smith… when we return from the capital, won't the other Military Police know that you've helped us?"

Erwin chuckled. "Please, call me Erwin. And to answer your question…maybe. They won't know right away, but perhaps during the trial. Then again, this trial could be the start of a revolution, so it would be the perfect time to let the MPs know which side I'm on."

"I see…" Eren murmured. "Thank you, for helping us."

"Go pack your things." Erwin smiled lightly. "I'll be in the car with Levi. We'll properly hide you then."

Eren nodded before hurrying upstairs to get his needed clothing together. Erwin took the spy devices back for safekeeping. After securing them, he sighed as he walked outside.

_This has to work. No, it's going to work. This is a gamble that could either have vast rewards or devastating consequences. This is closest I've had to figuring out this town's crimes in two years. It's a shame that these kids and my friend had to get involved… but what's done is done._

Erwin climbed in the driver's seat of his car. Levi had the reading light on, immersed in the law book.

"This is the dumbest shit I've ever seen. If an officer doesn't see a citizen a do anything against the law, then he or she cannot be incriminated. Then how the fuck did Marco get arrested?"

"Because the Reiss family _is_ the law." Erwin told him. "They can avoid any and every law they please. Since Historia reported Marco, her word was final. Then again, not many people know about that specific law, since all of the law books are kept in with the MPs."

"Fuck this shit." Levi scowled.

"I know it's frustrating, but bear with it." Erwin said. "We can do this. Marco will be out before you know it."

A few minutes later, all of the lights in the house and bakery were shut off. Eren emerged from the darkness with a duffel bag, locking the door behind him. He slipped the keys into his pocket before jogging over to Erwin's car.

"Do you have everything?" Levi rolled down his window and immediately questioned Eren. "Let's go through the checklist. Do you have business attire?"

"Yes."

"A fresh change of clothes?"

"Yes."

"Pajamas?"

"Yes."

"Your ID?"

"Yes."

"Let me see it."

Eren reached into his duffel bag and pulled it out for Levi to see.

"Good. Did you lock your house up?"

"Yeah. I locked all of the doors and windows."

"Alright. Do you have toiletries, like your toothbrush and toothpaste?"

"…uh…"

Levi rubbed his forehead. "Whatever. We can get that from a drugstore. Get in the backseat so we can hide you."

Erwin hid his smile from Levi and Eren's exchange. _There's something about them that just… fits. From what Levi has told me, Eren is very headstrong and stubborn. Then again, so is Levi. Usually two strong personalities like that don't work. But these two break the status quo._

Levi got out of the car and went to the backseat. "Okay, give me your duffel bag. I'll pretend it's some of my stuff, since the gate control searches through all the bags."

Eren handed over his bag.

"Keep your ID on you." Levi instructed. "You will be hiding on the floor with this black sheet covering you. Since Erwin is the owner of this car, he's not subjected to a full vehicle inspection like everyone else. Just a brief flashlight search. So, get in."

Eren crawled into the backseat and got on the floor.

"Even though this disgusts me, make sure your facing downwards." Levi shuddered. "That way it looks more even. And most importantly, do _not_ make a sound. If you do, everything goes to shit. Make sure your breathing is soft. Are we clear?"

"Of course." Eren's voice was muffled from the car floor.

"Good. I'll let you know when the coast is clear." Levi placed the black sheet over Eren and shut the door.

Eren felt the car go into motion. Even though he controlled his breathing, he feared the police would hear his heart pounding against his chest. Eren closed his eyes, calming his nerves.

_Even though this is the most dangerous thing I've ever done, it's for a grander purpose than my own selfishness. I took part in drinking and smoking, which ultimately led to this. I'll take responsibility and make it right._

When Erwin rolled up to the gates, Eren took a deep breath, feeling calm once more.

"Good evening Erwin." He heard a man say.

"Good evening, Djel." Erwin replied. "I've been granted clearance to leave with my friend Levi Ackerman for two days so he can collect some more possessions from his former residence in Mitras."

Eren heard the crinkling of paper as Djel read the statement.

"Alright." Djel replied. "Let's do a quick search and you'll be on your way. Let's see your bags. Hey Dennis, search the backseat and trunk real quick!"

Eren held his breath when he heard the backseat windows being rolled down. He could see a bit of the brightness from a flashlight. It disappeared as soon as it hit him. Finally, the inspection ended when the trunk of the car was slammed down.

"You're good to go, Erwin. See you in a couple of days." Djel told Erwin.

"Thank you." Erwin rolled his window back up.

Eren didn't dare breathe normally or make a move as Erwin drove through the gates.

"Hey Eren, you can get up now." Levi suddenly said.

Eren scrambled to his knees, climbing on the seat behind him. "Whew! We made it!"

Levi couldn't help but smirk at his excitement. "We're not finished yet, brat. First thing tomorrow morning, we're going in the Mitras National Library. I'll prep you a little on how to speak, and also figure out what to do with your messy hair. We'll be at Erwin's house in about five hours."

"Okay." Eren replied.

Eren's eyes fluttered, feeling the desire to sleep taking over his body. Before he knew it, he was knocked out.

Levi glanced at Eren through the rear view mirror, watching the rise and fall of his chest contentedly.

"That's one nice kid you have feelings for."

Levi flinched slightly at Erwin's comment. "The hell are you talking about? He's stubborn, hotheaded, and reckless."

"I know. You've complained to me many times." Erwin sneered, keeping his eyes on the road. "But just look at how brave he is. His stubborn and reckless behavior is why he's here right now. Any normal human would not have dared to sneak out of Shiganshina for someone else's sake. And that's why you're into him."

"Please." Levi scoffed, looking towards the window. "Don't act like you know me."

"I do know you. Quite well, actually." Erwin retorted.

Deciding to ignore Erwin's canny remark, Levi bit his lip.

_I told Eren that now is not the right time for sentiments, but for some reason, I feel myself wanting to take that back. He's growing on me like a fucking weed. I just can't get rid of him. I feel like I'm about to succumb. He's an incredible kid, and everyone underestimates him. Now… I see why I'm attracted to him._

With that affirmation in his mind, Levi felt all of the barriers he put around himself fall.

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

"Eren, wake the fuck up!"

Eren's eyes snapped open at the loud command. "W-What?!"

"We're here." Levi was peering at Eren in backseat. "So get up. You're making me wait, and you know how impatient I can be."

In honesty, while Erwin was unlocking the front door and doing some quick adjustments, Levi was observing the way Eren slept. He looked so peaceful and at ease for someone who lives in a hellhole.

"Oh, sorry." Eren mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

It took all of Levi's self-control to not take advantage of the slightly disoriented teen. Instead, he carried his bag and Eren's bag up to the front door.

"I only have one guest room." Erwin told Levi apologetically. "I'll sleep on the couch, and you can have my room."

"No, it's okay." Levi raised a hand to silence Erwin. "I'll take the couch. No exceptions."

Erwin relented. "Alright."

Eren eventually dragged himself to Erwin's front door. It didn't hit him that he was now outside of Shiganshina and in the capital.

"Stay awake for a little longer, Eren." Levi said when he came into view. "As soon as I prep you on a few more things, you can sleep."

Erwin chuckled at Levi's patience towards the brunette. "If you need me, I'll be in my room."

"Thanks." Levi dragged Eren to the guest room by the hand. "Come on, brat. Let's just get this done."

Eren was slightly more alert when he felt Levi take his hand. "O-Okay."

Levi sat in the only chair in the room, so Eren sat on the full size bed.

"Now, when you talk to security tomorrow, you can't use slang. Talk to them like you do your crappy teachers." Levi told him.

Eren giggled slightly. "Alright."

"Let's do a test run." Levi sat up straight. "How will you tell them that you want to see all of the documents regarding Shiganshina?"

Eren cleared his throat. "I would say… uh…"

Levi mentally face palmed. "Alright, let's come up with some sort of story…"

After brainstorming for a few minutes, they came to an agreement.

"So let's do it. After they scan your ID, what do you say?" Levi questioned Eren.

"I would like to see the documents concerning Shiganshina regarding its history. I am a student from Shiganshina wishing to learn more about my hometown." Eren stated as professionally as he could.

Levi nodded in approval. "Very nice. According to Erwin, security does not ask you anything else about the documents. It's in your birthright to view them."

Eren smiled proudly. "That's great!"

"Indeed…" Levi took a look at Eren disheveled hair. "So let's make sure you look as old as you sound."

Levi reached in his bags and took out a comb and some hair oil. "Let's see what I can do with your hair."

Eren gulped. "Oh no…"

"Oh, yes." Levi beckoned Eren over with his finger. "Now sit in this chair and hold still."

Not having any other choice, Eren did as he was told.

"You get a new ID issued every five years, right?" Levi stood behind Eren, applying some of the hair oil. "So they most likely won't question your different appearance. Not that there's going to be a huge change."

Levi combed Eren's hair, making sure not to pull out any tangles. He combed a small bang fringe on the right side of Eren's forehead. He didn't smooth all of Eren's hair down, just enough so he looked more like a college student than anything else.

"Okay, let me the front..." Levi stood in front of the brunette and almost gasped in surprise.

Just by changing the style of his hair, Eren looked so much more grown up.

"W-What?" Eren asked nervously. "I look weird, don't I?"

_If this is what Eren looks like in five years, I'm going to have even more of a difficult time controlling myself._ Levi thought.

"No, you look great. You'll be fine." Levi finally answered the brunette. "So, we better get some sleep. You'll need your energy."

Levi stood up to leave, but Eren grabbed his hand.

"What is it, brat?" Levi gave Eren a slightly annoyed look.

Despite his irritability, Levi melted at the determined look in Eren's sea green eyes.

"I… uh… you know my birthday is tomorrow." Eren stammered slightly.

"Yes, you told me earlier today. What about it?" Levi asked impatiently.

"Well, if this goes well, and we get the evidence we need to get Marco out… can I spend time with you for my birthday?" Eren's cheeks flushed at the request.

Levi raised an eyebrow. "We see each other almost daily. And we'll still be seeing each other this entire weekend. So what the-"

"No! Er, I mean… like spending time with you outside here." Eren's face darkened even more. "I don't care what, but this might be the only time I'll be outside Shiganshina with you, without having to hide who I am and who I like in fear of getting put in jail. I know you said this is not the time for romance, but I can't hold it in. I just- mmphh!"

Levi kneeled down and pressed his lips firmly against Eren's, silencing him.

"Fine." Levi murmured against his lips. "If this works, I'll spend time with you on a more personal level. By the way, that's called a date."

With that, Levi walked out of the guest bedroom, leaving a shocked Eren behind.

_I did it. I gave in to Eren Jaeger. And for once… I don't feel bad about a decision I made._

* * *

**There you have it for part one of this section! In chapter 14, Eren goes in the library! And… will there be more Riren moments? **

**Perhaps!**

**If you've enjoyed this so far, add this to your favorites and alerts. And remember…**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**I appreciate your support~! :D**

**About a week ago, I wrote a Riren oneshot titled Titan Sized Hotdog (the title alone should give away the rating), so check it out if you want! XD it's humorous, and the story doesn't take itself seriously. Hopefully it'll give you a laugh!**

**See you in the next one!**

**PRK**


	14. Test of Fate

**Hey guys! As I've stated before, updates for this story will be irregular. College is literally sucking up all of the time I have (in a non kinky way). So I apologize for making you guys wait nearly a month for chapter 14.  
**

**But to make it up to you guys, this chapter is long! IT'S OVER 9000... words. :P  
**

**Speaking of kinky… WARNING! There will be Riren sexy times in this chapter~! Have fun!  
**

**Thank you so much for the reviews, faves, and alerts! You have no idea how much those inspire me and cheer me up. I love reading your comments and feedback. So thank you!**

**So this is part two of Eren's journey in Mitras. Will Eren succeed in getting the documents? **

**Enjoy the chapter~!**

* * *

_**Chapter 14 **__Test of Fate_

"Eren, get up." Levi shook Eren later that morning.

Eren's eyes snapped open. He felt a slight confusion, seeing that he was not in his bed back home. Then, it all came back to him.

_I'm… not in Shiganshina. I'm in the capital!_

With that realization, Eren shot out of bed, almost knocking Levi over.

"I'm in a house outside Shiganshina!" Eren cried. "I wanna see the tall buildings! I wanna talk to people that don't think I'm a sinner!"

Despite Levi's irritation from being shoved, he couldn't help but be in awe at Eren's excitement. However, they had a job to do, so it's time to bring him back to earth.

"Hey, it's time to go to the national library." Levi told Eren. "You have to get a hold of those documents, remember? Marco's counting on us."

Eren's eyes widened. "I-I'll get dressed right away!"

"Be ready in ten minutes." Levi ordered, leaving the room.

The brunette quickly went to his duffel bag and took out his dress shirt and pants. It was at that moment that he suddenly remembered something else.

_Today's my birthday… and I have a date with Levi later today._

Eren blushed at the memory of Levi kissing him and telling him about the date. The term was foreign to him. In Shiganshina, no one ever talked about dating. The fact that he had this rare opportunity to experience an actual date in the capital with the man he had feelings for almost made him burst.

Meanwhile, Levi was pacing back and forth in Erwin's kitchen.

"What's wrong with you, Levi?" Erwin asked, sipping on a cup of coffee. "Are you nervous for Eren?"

"Of course not." Levi denied. "I'm just ready to go and get this over with."

"…because you're nervous for Eren." Erwin stated.

"Shut up, eyebrows."

Erwin chuckled. "Eren is going to be fine, I'm sure. He's a tenacious kid. And we'll be with him. If things go downhill, I'll get him out of there, I promise. So you don't have to worry."

"I'm _not_ worried." Levi said through gritted teeth.

That was a lie. He was scared shitless for the boy. If it was Levi going it, he would have no problem sneaking around. But despite his shitty attitude, Eren is an innocent kid. If he got caught, what would he do? What if someone questions him further about his background in Shiganshina?

Levi shook his head. _Damn, I need to stop being so pessimistic. Eren will be fine. I'm sure of it._

"Uh, Levi? Are you going to do my hair again?"

Levi turned around and what he saw almost made all of the blood in his body rush to his face. Eren looked so sophisticated and fresh in his dress shirt, dress pants, and black shoes. It was a heavenly sight.

"…you don't look half bad." Levi managed to say. "Sure, I'll fix your hair."

Eren looked slightly disappointed that Levi didn't give him a bit more praise on his clothes. Eren hated dressing up.

"Let's go over the procedure one more time before we leave." Erwin said when Levi sat him down on the kitchen chair.

"Okay." Eren nodded.

As Erwin and Eren went through protocol, Levi zoned out while he styled the brunette's hair.

_I'm used to danger. I'm used to taking huge risks. But Eren isn't. _

"Levi?" Eren looked up at the short man.

"What?" Levi snapped without meaning to.

"Well, you were done doing my hair, so we're ready to go…" Eren's eyes saddened slightly.

Levi gritted his teeth. _Damn brat… how is he able to make me so worried? I actually considered backing out. Marco is counting on us, but I was about to put Eren's safety over his. Eren wanted to do this, so I'll let him._

"Okay then, let's go." Levi's entire resolve changed. "Let's get this done so we can have or date."

Eren beamed at those words. Erwin chuckled, already foreseeing that outcome.

_It's about time, Levi._

They left the house and got into Erwin's car. Erwin laid his laptop case in the backseat with Eren. Erwin was going to need that. Eren put the Bluetooth in his ear and the disguised camera in his pocket.

_Hang in there, Marco. We're almost there._ Eren thought solemnly. _As soon as you win the trial, you'll be able to leave that godforsaken place and go wherever you want. You deserve the best. And I'm going to make sure you get it._

He looked out the window, gazing at the trees and buildings whipping past him. _Did I really deserve to be the first kid to leave Shiganshina? I know it's for Marco, but for some reason, I feel like I shouldn't be happy that I'm out. There are others still suffering back home, and I'm over here with a freedom no one has had._

Levi glanced in the rearview mirror at Eren, noticing his expression. "Hey Eren, you're not getting cold feet, are you?"

Unfamiliar with the expression, Eren looked at Levi in bewilderment. "Cold feet? Of course not. It's actually pretty warm outside."

Erwin held back a chuckle while Levi rolled his eyes. "No, brat. It's just an expression. Are you not having second thoughts about going in the library?"

Eren shook his head fervently. "No way. I'm ready."

"Good. Because we're almost there." Levi sat up in his seat.

Eren looked back out the window again, losing himself in his thoughts once more.

"So… what are you and Eren going to do on this 'date' of yours?" Erwin smirked at Levi.

Levi growled. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Actually I would. I do intend on sleeping tonight without moans ringing through the entire house." Erwin snickered.

"Shut the fuck up before I punch you!" Levi snapped, glancing back at Eren. Luckily, the brunette didn't' hear him.

"Lighten up, will you? Besides, I won't even be in the house tonight." Erwin informed him. "After this task is complete, I will be reporting our findings to my government superiors. We will most likely pull an all-nighter to plan our next move. Just make sure you two clean up afterwards."

"You are fucking dead to me." Levi scowled. "Go to hell."

"That'll have to wait, because we're here." Erwin told him.

Sure enough, they had arrived at the Mitras National Library. Eren gulped slightly. He was intimidated by the mere size of the place. The library in Shiganshina was only one floor, and it was old. This library was extremely refined with its shiny exterior and many windows.

"…how will we find the documents in this huge place?" Eren asked, concerned. "It'll take forever to search the building."

"Erwin already knows where to go, brat." Levi replied, unbuckling his seatbelt. "Don't worry about all of that. Just focus on getting the documents, okay?"

"Yeah…" Eren hopped out of Erwin's car. "Wow, that library must have a million books inside. I bet Armin would want to live there."

Erwin chuckled. "There are much more than just books inside. But you'll see."

Erwin locked the car before he walked with Levi and Eren to the front entrance of the library. They passed many people on the sidewalk. Eren nervously looked at all of them. The people here look so different, and had a unique feel to them. One of the passersby smiled at Eren before continuing on her way.

_Wow… this feels so weird. _

Eren took his eyes off the other pedestrians and gazed at the other tall buildings. Everything was just huge and sophisticated. The world he thought he knew in Shiganshina shattered.

"Hey, pay attention." Levi pinched Eren's arm.

"Ow!" Eren whined. "I am, geez!"

"We're about to go inside. So get your poker face ready." Levi warned him. "From here on out, you are a student that wants to learn more about Shiganshina. You are a mature adult. Remember, keep you Bluetooth on at all times. If something happens, let us know and abandon ship, got it? It wouldn't help Marco much if you got in trouble as well."

"Right. I'm ready." Eren nodded in affirmation. "Let's do this."

Erwin opened the door, letting Levi and Eren go in first. Eren tried his best not to gasp in shock at what he saw inside. There were many people bustling around. Some were in business attire, and other were in normal clothes. People of all ages were there. Eren could see the other six floors just by looking up.

There were computer stations everywhere, along with cases and cases of books of all subjects.

_Yeah… Armin would definitely want to live here. I wouldn't blame him._

"C'mon, the escalator is this way." Erwin said. "The documents are on the third floor."

"Escalator?" Eren repeated. "What's that?"

"The love child of stairs and an elevator. Now we don't have all day. Let's go." Levi replied impatiently, not in the mood to explain it to him.

Eren was tempted to ask what an elevator was as well, but decided against it. As they headed towards the escalator, Eren's eyes widened in shock.

_The stairs… are moving! How are we supposed to step on them?_

Erwin and Levi stepped on, but Eren stayed back, fearing he would fall on his face.

"Eren, what the hell are you doing?" Levi shouted at him as he and Erwin progressed upward. "Get on the fucking escalator!"

Eren quickly jumped on one of the steps, not daring to move a single inch. Sighing, Levi rubbed his temples.

"You should have expected this, Levi." Erwin pointed out. "You know Shiganshina doesn't have any of this."

Levi wanted to be angry with Eren, but he knew he wouldn't be able to. "I know that, alright? I'm just so fucking tense. I don't want Eren drawing attention to himself and being found out."

"No one will pay attention to him if you don't shout at him." Erwin replied. "So how about you try that this time?"

Levi growled. "Smartass…"

Levi waited for Eren to arrive on the second floor while Erwin went on ahead to inspect the third floor. Eren almost tripped getting off the escalator.

"You know you don't have to stand on the same step when you're going up." Levi said, trying hard not to wince. "Escalators can be slow as fuck."

"They're so weird. I mean, moving stairs? I wish we had these in my house." Eren said, smiling brightly.

Levi's heart stopped slightly at Eren's smile. But he shook the sappy feeling away.

"Hurry up and let's get on the last one. Erwin's waiting for us." Levi grabbed Eren's hand and stepped on the next escalator.

Eren blushed slightly, but didn't complain. As soon as they reached the third floor, Levi released Eren's hand, causing him to almost trip for the second time.

"You're really clumsy today. Get it together." Levi told Eren, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, sorry." Eren grinned sheepishly. "I'll be careful."

Erwin approached Levi and Eren. "I've checked around, and everything looks alright. On my laptop, I have tapped into the security cameras on this floor. I'll be sitting at a table nearby keeping watch. If I see anything suspicious, I'll let Levi know, and Levi will use his Bluetooth to talk to you. Got it, Eren?"

"Yeah." Eren replied, turning on his Bluetooth device. "So where do I go now?"

"That desk over there." Erwin pointed to a security desk. There was a lady in her twenties sitting as the receptionist, and two police officers standing guard by a door to the right.

"That room leads to all the documents. After you show the lady your ID and she scans it, those officers will let you by. Do not drop your guard, whatever you do. There could still be a few tricks the Shiganshina government could have put in place without our knowledge."

"I understand. I won't fail, I promise." With that, Eren walked over to the desk.

"Come on, Levi." Erwin had to pull Levi away. "If you stand there and stare at Eren the entire time, security will get suspicious."

Levi allowed Erwin to drag him away, but he wasn't happy about it one bit. He sat them down at a table, his laptop already there. After logging in, Erwin accessed the security cameras. Levi turned on his Bluetooth.

"Alright, we're all set here. The rest is up to Eren." Erwin stated.

"Yeah…" Levi bit his lip, unsure of what to expect.

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**_

Eren approached the receptionist, feeling his palms starting to get sweaty. The lady looked up at Eren and smiled widely.

"Hello, sir. How may I help you?" She asked sweetly.

Eren cleared his throat. "Hello. I am here to study the historical documents regarding Shiganshina."

"Sorry sir, but those documents are only available to those who are born in Shiganshina. No one else can view them." She replied mechanically, as if she's had to say that a million times.

"I am a citizen of Shiganshina." Eren replied smoothly.

Levi was listening in on his Bluetooth. He tapped his foot nervously, waiting for Eren to get clearance.

The receptionist's mouth dropped open in awe. "Um… okay, then let me see your ID."

Eren quickly pulled out his card from his pocket and handed it to her. She thoroughly checked it to make sure it was legitimate before scanning it. Sure enough, Eren's face popped up on her computer screen, confirming his identity.

"I can't believe it…" The receptionist looked at her screen in disbelief. "No one except government officials from Shiganshina has ever been here before. This is… weird."

Eren started to panic slightly. "Oh, really?"

"Yes. So, why are you here?" The receptionist asked.

"I'm just a student wanting to learn more about my hometown. Last time I checked, it's in my birthright to see those documents. So why am I still standing here?" He asked sassily.

"O-Oh! Well, don't let me stop you. The officers will let you in." The receptionist said quickly, handing Eren his ID back. "The documents for Shiganshina are at the end of the corridor."

Levi sighed in relief when the tense exchange finally ended. _Maybe I overreacted. Eren seems to have everything under control._

"Thank God that's over. I thought I was gonna die." Levi heard Eren groan over the Bluetooth.

_Or maybe not._

"You know I can hear everything you're saying, right?" Levi asked.

Levi heard Eren yelp slightly.

"Oh, uh, yeah. I knew that." Eren replied quickly.

"Anyway, good work on getting past security. I never thought your sass would prove useful. I stand corrected." Levi said.

"Ha, ha." Eren said dryly. "I'm heading for the documents now."

"Great. Let me know if you find anything interesting." Levi finished.

Levi muted his Bluetooth before addressing Erwin. "How do the cameras look? Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine." Erwin responded. "In fact, I se Eren walking towards the documents as we speak. He's going to do fine."

"I know." Levi said before unmuting the mic.

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**_

Eren looked around at the many doors as he traversed down the steel corridor. _This place is giving me the creeps. _He shuddered.

The brunette finally approached the last door. Using his ID, he slid it across the scanner like the receptionist did. The door opened, closing as soon as Eren got inside. He could tell very few people have been in this room. It was small, and dust was starting to collect. It was dimly lit, and the only furniture in the room was a table and a chair. Sitting on the table was a steel box with 'Shiganshina' written on the side.

_So those are the documents._

Eren sat down in the chair and lifted papers and one book out. The book was titled _Shiganshina Settlement_. The brunette decided to start photographing the papers first. He took out the disguised camera, turning it on.

"These are signed contracts… the same one my parents had to sign before they moved here." Eren murmured. "I've never seen one before."

Eren then noticed that the dates on the documents indicated they were from fifty years ago. As he took pictures, he noticed something strange.

"Wait… sins to be cleansed?" Eren read the section title in incredulity. "Drinking… prostitution…homosexuality…what is this?"

"Did you find something, Eren?" Levi's voice filled Eren's ear.

"Yeah." Eren replied, snapping more pictures. "I found contracts of people who chose to live in Shiganshina fifty years ago. They looked pretty normal at first, but then there's a part where they had to list 'sins to be cleansed.' What does that mean?"

"Keep looking. I have a suspicion, but we need to know for sure." Levi answered.

Eren continued reading. "…what?! All of these people were able to leave Shiganshina after their 'sins' had been healed. There are dates were the contract was terminated. This lady who went for prostitution left in one year, and a man who had a drinking problem left after four years."

Levi scowled. "That means the government changed the contracts so everyone who comes in never leaves. Alright, continue your search. I'm certain there's more."

After the contracts were photographed, Eren went for the book. When he opened it, a journal fell out. He set it to the side to read later.

"Shiganshina was established as a Christian town in 1954." Eren read softly from the book. "Shiganshina is run by church officials for people who struggle with sin. The town was acknowledged as its own federation. The officials had their own set of rules that do not abide by the laws set by the national government. That way, the sinners that lived there could get recover their soul and not be tempted to go out and do sinful things they could usually do legally, like purchase alcohol. "

Eren paused to take a few pictures. "That explains why people would even think about going there. So they could get their lives together."

Eren flipped through the pages. The book explained the simple rules the people who lived there had to follow.

"We have so many rules now. What happened? There were so few back then, and they were kinda fair." Eren murmured.

The book went into detail about how twenty years ago, the original officials all passed away, and new ones took over five years later when Shiganshina was left to rot. Those people were.

"Pastor Nick… Governor Balto… the _Reiss family_?!" Eren blinked several times, almost wishing those words would go away.

"What about the Reiss family?" Levi asked forcefully.

"They're the ones that took over Shiganshina after the original Christian officials died. It was them along with Pastor Nick and Governor Balto." Eren read.

"Does it say why they came and what they did?" Levi inquired.

"No…" Eren said sadly. "The book ends there. However, there's a journal that fell out of the book. I'll read it now."

"Please do." Levi sighed.

Eren opened the front cover. The name Ilse Langnar was written in the corner. Below it was a scribbled message.

_To whomever finds this journal,_

_Thank God for you! He sent you to the national library to set the truth free! I was unable to do much, but in this journal, I documented the fall of Shiganshina into the hands of evil. I was here two years before the original Christian officials died. They were so kind, and they helped me through my depression and alcoholism. But now… I feel myself going insane again. I was supposed to leave Shiganshina this year, but I'm trapped here because of the new government. As a former journalist, I was able to sniff out their horrible secret. All of the lies are over! _

"What the hell…?" Eren was shaken. "What… why…?"

"Eren, focus!" Levi told him, feeling the brunette's precariousness. "Take the pictures of the journal."

"O-Okay." Eren snapped pictures as he was told. He then continued reading.

_10/11/1993_

_What are we supposed to do? My pastor, my wonderful friend and mentor, is dead. All of the police officers and government officials died a few years ago. All except one, Dot Pixis. He was here since 1970. But… I don't know him. The only person I trusted was my pastor. And now he's gone. Why? I've only been here two years. I'm not fully cured of my sins. What am I going to do? I have nowhere to go. My home is gone. My career as a journalist is over for good. I have no family. Shiganshina is all I have. Who is going to take my pastor's place and continue to help me heal? Only God has the answer. I'm waiting._

When Eren turned the page, he noticed several pages were torn out. The next entry, however, was extremely important.

_11/17/1998_

_Someone came! How did he find this place? His name is Pastor Nick, and he promised me that he will help me recover. Finally! After five years, God brought us another Lamb. And along with them, more families have come to Shiganshina. Most of them are either pregnant or having young kids with them. They needed a place of stability for their children, and I understand that essential. They have brought new officers in as well. They seem rather gloomy and unapproachable, but that's okay. One man that came is a doctor. Dr. Jaeger, I believe._

Eren's heart stopped. _My… my dad?_

_He is a kind man. And his wife Carla is too. She's pregnant with her son. She's expecting him to be born in March. It's so wonderful. Dr. Jaeger is a travelling doctor, so he is able to leave and come back. He's the only one, though. I have two more years to go until I'm able to return. But who knows? Maybe I'll stay and help other recovering alcoholics and people with depression._

Eren felt his heart sink to the ground. After taking a picture, he flipped to the next page. Again, more pages were ripped out, but the next entry was vital.

_8/19/1999_

_Why? Oh God, why?! Why did Pastor Nick let the Reiss family inside? Yes, they had a child they couldn't abort, but their wealth and power changed everything! It's illegal for them to do that! In the original law book, what the pastor said was final. The Reiss family cannot change it._

_None of us can leave. Ever. Not without special permission from the government. There are so many more rules and regulations here, ones I've never seen! In fact, my writing down these things could get me thrown in jail for blasphemy! Pastor Nick never helped me with my condition. He hasn't helped anybody. Something is wrong here. Something very wrong. I have to find out what, or else everyone will suffer under the hands of the Reiss family!_

Eren snapped another picture. A lot of pages were torn this time around. Wondering why, Eren went to the next entry. A photograph fell out.

_3/10/2000_

_I found it! I knew my journalism skills wouldn't fail me! Drugs! They're housing cocaine and marijuana in Governor Balto's house. That's why there are so many rules now. So the Reiss family and Pastor Nick could hide their crimes. That pastor is no pastor at all! He's a sham! Shiganshina was the perfect place for them, since it was abandoned, and not many people know about it, especially enemy drug cartels. _

_The Reiss family and Pastor Nick are on the run from drug dealers. _

_And to ensure their own asses are safe, excuse my language, God, they're keeping a close eye on who comes in Shiganshina and who leaves. They're watching Dr. Jaeger very closely, since he leaves regularly. I hope he takes my advice and reports this to someone. Then, we can start our escape!_

_I snuck in Governor Balto's house when he was away to get the full scoop. The drugs are in the basement. Cameras were banned, but I still had mine from when I worked at a newspaper. I managed to get a photograph of the drugs. Hopefully I can give it to Dr. Jaeger and he can use it as evidence. I took one of the blunts and hid them in a different place, just in case the Reiss family or anyone tries to clean it out. That will be very incriminating evidence._

_This is a great day for God's people! We have been treated like animals in a cage, but no more! The truth will set us free. The government is illegitimate. They are unfit to force laws on us that they break themselves. If only someone outside Shiganshina could see this…_

Eren was shocked. _Is that why Dad went missing?! He's been reporting this stuff. And Mom… they probably took her away, too._ Eren studied the photo closely. Sure enough, the basement was the same one he and his friends partied in, and the same basement he and Historia found the one blunt.

_So she hid the blunt we found? That explains it. That's why Historia was sent to look for the blunt, because they realized one was missing. _

Eren found that there was only one final entry. The rest of the pages had been torn out. The last page had drops of blood on it.

_9/1/2000_

_I've been found out. The Military Police came for me two weeks ago. I've been sitting in this jail cell, contemplating why I came to Shiganshina in the first place. It was to heal my soul and get my life together. But instead, I've been beaten. Humiliated. Pounded into the dirt. _

_This is my last journal entry before this journal is sent to the Mitras National Library. Dot Pixis, the police officer I mentioned many entries ago, is the only officer here that is against what Pastor Nick and the Reiss family is doing. He is about to retire and become principal of Shiganshina High School. He offered to do one final thing for me._

_The government officials are about to take the contracts from many years ago and the only book written about Shiganshina's history away and put them in the national library. The government can't destroy them. Those documents are the only things that can truly validate Shiganshina's independency from the national government. So, they're locking them far away from anyone in this town. No one can view them unless they were born in Shiganshina. That only goes for us. The government doesn't count. _

_Pixis will take my journal with him to the library, and hide it in the book. The government won't read the damn book. So, the person who finds this journal is surely trying to find information about Shiganshina. I have ripped out all of the trivial entries I've written in here so that person will have easy access to the entries that matter._

_The children that were born two years ago from the families that traveled here are Shiganshina's only hope for revelation. It is in their birthright to view them. I hope and pray that at least one of them finds out about what has happened here, and find a way out. If one of you children ever finds this, please take it with you to Shiganshina. It wasn't included in the actual documents, so I am giving it to you._

_I will probably die in this cell. I have been beaten and raped, but no one cares. Only God. I hope he will liberate me from this earth and welcome me at the pearly gates of heaven. All I've wanted to do is help people. But… I've only been punished for it. _

_In the Bible, there is a verse that reads, "Vengeance is his, saith the Lord." Well, I hope God rains down disaster on the Reiss family, Pastor Nick, and the government. And you, dear child of God, will be the one to initiate it._

_God bless you._

Eren's hands were trembling when he finally put the journal down. He felt tears spilling down his cheeks. He hiccupped, trying his hardest not to sob.

"Eren? _Eren!_" Levi called adamantly. "Why are you crying? What happened?"

Eren wiped his eyes, letting a sob escape. "N-Nothing. I have all everything recorded."

"Good. Just hang tight for a second, okay? Erwin is being a jackass and asking me to look at something." Levi said before muting his Bluetooth.

"For fuck's sake, Erwin. What the hell do you want?" Levi snapped.

Erwin had been fervently jabbing Levi's side. "Nile Dok is at the security desk."

"What?!" Levi jumped up and peered at the security camera Erwin had up.

Sure enough, the MP was talking with the receptionist, getting his ID scanned.

"Shit! What the hell is he doing here?!" Levi seethed.

"Probably to collect the documents." Erwin sighed, frustrated. "He probably recently found out about the trial. And when he saw that you and I left for Mitras, he put two and two together. He figured we would try to get the documents somehow. The only reason why he is able to even get inside is because the Reiss family must have gave him special permission, which I am certain he is discussing with the lady."

"God fucking damn it!" Levi unmuted the Bluetooth. "Eren, is there some place you can hide in there?"

"Huh? Uh, no there isn't. There's nothing in this room except a chair, table, and the documents." Eren said. "Why? What's wrong?!"

"Damn! We need to get you outta there!" Levi racked his brain for a solution. One came to mind. And it was thanks to the Shiganshina law book he read on the car ride here.

_If an officer doesn't see the criminal do anything against the law, then he or she cannot be incriminated._

"Eren, I want you to walk out of there calmly." Levi told the brunette.

"Why?! Someone is coming in, right? Why would I do that?" Eren protested, panicking.

"Jaeger, do you remember what you told me yesterday?" Levi asked.

Eren blinked. "…what?"

"You said you trusted me completely. I'm asking you to put that into play right now. Walk out of there. Fiddle with your Bluetooth or something, so you look all businesslike and shit. Get out of there _now_ and do it!" Levi told him.

Eren put the documents back where they were and grabbed the notebook. He walked out as calmly as he could and headed for the exit. Halfway there, he spotted someone walking in the opposite direction. He looked tense.

"Excuse me, have you seen anyone leave the Shiganshina document room?" Nile asked Eren.

Eren gulped, trying to steady himself. "No, I have not. Is there something wrong, sir?"

"No." Nile sighed. "Thank you."

Eren clutched the journal closer to him as he and Nile parted. His heart was racing, and he felt faint. When Eren emerged from the steely corridor, Eren sighed in relief the female receptionist was gone. A new one was starting his shift.

His eyes darted back and forth, trying to locate Levi and Erwin. He found them standing by the escalator, waving him over. The brunette scurried over to them, his face pale and his hands still shaking. Levi grabbed his hand and pulled him over to a nearby bench, sitting them both down.

"Eren, look at me." Levi grabbed Eren's face and turned it so he was looking at him.

Eren's usually sparkling green eyes were dull. Levi knew at that moment that Eren was traumatized by all that has happened.

"You did it, Eren." Levi said, trying to make his voice sound soothing. "You got the documents recorded. I'm sorry you had to go through all of this. You must be terrified…" Levi stroked Eren's cheek. "I am so proud of you. You have no idea how much I'm smitten with you right now."

Eren relaxed slightly at that. "Really?"

"Hell yes." Levi said honestly. "So come on and let's get out of here. Let's celebrate our first victory for freeing Marco."

"O-Okay…" Eren slowly stood up.

Levi took his hand again and went down the escalator with Erwin in tow. He noticed the journal in Eren's hands, but decided to question him later. From now until they got back to Shiganshina, Eren's birthday was the only thing he wanted to focus on. After such an upsetting experience, Eren deserved it.

"Eren, maybe you should give the journal to Erwin for safekeeping?" Levi suggested when they got in the car. "I'm guessing it wasn't part of the documents."

Nodding in affirmation, Eren handed the journal over to Erwin.

The ride back to Erwin's house was dead silent. The air was extremely heavy, and Levi knew Eren was housing most of it. Levi was angry with himself for allowing Eren to go in that library.

"I have to go talk all of this over with my superiors." Erwin finally said when they got back. "Eren, can you give me the camera?"

Eren quietly handed it over.

"I'll see you two tomorrow morning so we can head back." Erwin smiled softly. "Eren, I hope you have a great rest of your day. Happy birthday."

Erwin handed Levi his spare house key before driving off.

"Come on." Levi took Eren's hand for a third time as he unlocked the front door. "I know something that'll relax you. Change into your normal clothes and come back out to the living room."

Eren nodded dolefully before retreating to the guest bedroom.

Levi ravaged the kitchen looking for tea bags. "Ooh, Erwin has chamomile tea. This will do."

He got to work boiling hot water in a tea kettle and dipping two tea bags inside. While the water was boiling, Levi walked in the living room and turned on the TV. Since the only TVs in Shiganshina were in the schools, he was unsure of what Eren wanted to watch. The students only watched religious material on TV. He left the channel on a retro cartoon station when he heard the tea kettle go off.

Levi quickly poured the tea inside a cyan blue mug and put a pinch of sugar inside, stirring the tea with a spoon. By that point, Eren had come out with regular clothes on and sat in a cushioned chair. His eyes brightened slightly at was on TV.

"Wow! I've never seen this cartoon before. They're talking turtles eating pizza. That's so weird… but cool! Wait, they're ninjas too? Levi, I remember you discussing ninjas in class before!"

Levi whipped his head around. Sure enough, the 1980s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was on. Levi almost dropped to the floor in relief. Eren was going back to normal. The expression Eren had on his face when he came out scared him to death.

"Here, I have tea for you." Levi brought the mug over to Eren, sitting it down on the small table next to him.

"Thank you…" Eren took a sip. "Wow! This is good!"

"Thanks. I know my tea leaves." Levi rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. "And here's one more things for you."

Eren felt two hands rest on his shoulder, brushing against his neck. Eren stilled, the sensation resonating throughout his entire body. "L-Levi?"

Levi rolled his fingers on Eren's shoulder muscles. "It's a massage, brat. You're extremely tensing, so I'm relieving it for you. So sit back and watch your cartoons while I do this."

Eren's smile widened even more. _Levi… only you could cheer me up like this._

After half an hour of sitting through Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Eren gradually acted more like his old self. Levi was fully convinced that the brunette was fine after he started asking questions like what 'mondo' and 'cowabunga' meant.

"So Eren, what do you want to do for our date?" Levi asked after he finished the massage. He sat on the couch.

To his surprise, Eren stood up and sat next to him.

"I hope you don't find me boring, but I really just want to stay here with you." He replied.

Levi raised an eyebrow. "Really? But you're here in the big city. I figured you would have wanted to go sightseeing."

Eren shook his head. "I don't feel worthy of such an honor yet. Especially not after what I found out today. I want to explore Mitras when everyone and anyone in Shiganshina can do the same. Besides… I doubt I would enjoy it now. Not when…" He trailed off.

"I completely understand." Levi scooted a little closer to Eren. "You know… even though you seem back to normal, I suspect you still have some raw emotion trapped inside of you. So… if you want to cry, do it. Let it all out now."

"Levi…" Eren stared at the shorter man in shock. "Why…?"

"Because I love you, brat." Levi confessed. "And I see you are in pain. So, let it go. Cry as much as you like. You don't have to hold it in. That's my job." He tried to joke.

Eren laughed slightly, tears filling up his eyes once again. "O-Okay…" He stammered.

Levi wrapped an arm around Eren, pulling his head to his chest. It felt so warm and soothing, that Eren couldn't take it anymore. He let out a sob as he wrapped his arms around Levi tightly. Levi didn't care that Eren's tears was soaking his shirt. He didn't care that Eren's nose was running. All he cared about was the fact that Eren is showing this vulnerable side of him. It's difficult for a man to cry, especially in front of someone he loves.

Levi buried his face in Eren's hair, mentally saying thank you to whatever supernatural being allowed this to happen.

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**_

"Hey, brat. Which is more interesting? Me or the damn ninja turtles?" Levi complained.

Eren felt a lot better after he poured his heart out to Levi. In fact, he was so damn happy that he decided to watch the TMNT marathon that was going on, memorizing and eventually singing along to the theme song.

"They're talking turtles, Levi! And they fight crime! How awesome is that?" Eren asked excitedly.

"Oh for fuck's sake…" Levi rolled his eyes. "Well, how about I order some pizza for dinner?"

"That would be awesome. My mom only fixed pizza twice in my life. I'm ready to try it again!" Eren grinned.

Levi would do anything if it meant Eren kept that stupid smile on his face. "Fine. Then come over here and look at this brochure with all of the pizza toppings. You pick."

Eren jumped off the couch and rushed over to Levi. He peered down at the brochure. "Wow, there's so many! How about the Supreme? It pretty much has every topping!"

Levi winced slightly. "I guess you enjoy having diarrhea. But what the hell. It's your birthday, so I'll order it for you."

"Thank you!" Eren kissed Levi on the cheek before returning to the TMNT marathon.

The intimate action caught Levi off guard. He blushed without meaning to. Hoping Eren doesn't look back and see his flushed face, Levi quickly picked Erwin's kitchen phone off the receiver and dialed the pizza place, planning on adding in a surprise with the order.

It was then that he noticed a note along with some lube and condoms next to the receiver.

_Stay protected, and make sure Eren's first time is as enjoyable as possible._

_-Erwin_

Levi quickly shoved the items in his back pocket and crumpled the note.

"Fucking dickhead." Levi muttered.

"Um, excuse me?! Are you talking to me?" A female voice snapped angrily.

Levi then realized the pizza place had answered his call.

_Fuck my life._

_**~.~.~.~.~.~**_

When the pizza guy knocked on the door twenty minutes later, Eren ran to the door.

"Calm down, brat. Step aside so I can pay for everything." Levi said, pulling Eren away.

Levi opened the door, revealing the pizza delivery boy.

"Hello. Your total comes to fifteen dollars." The teenager said boredly.

Levi handed him a twenty, telling him to keep the change. He grabbed the two liter Coca Cola, the pizza box and one mystery box before shutting the door.

"Oh, that pizza smells so good! Hey, what's that other box?" Eren pried, trying to open the lid.

Levi slapped his hand away. "That's for a little later. Let's eat the pizza first. Otherwise Michelangelo will jump out of the TV screen and take it away. That would be _mondo_ uncool."

"Ha, ha, you're so funny." Eren replied teasingly.

Levi set the food down and grabbed two plates and two glasses from the cupboard.

"Oh! I've never had Coca Cola before." Eren stared at the bottle. "The grocery in Shiganshina had a brand just called Cola. I wonder if it's the same thing."

"Trust me, the brand names are always better than the off brand." Levi informed him.

Eren opened the pizza box, ogling at the melting cheese and topping spread. "This looks so good!"

"Grab a slice." Levi handed Eren a plate. "…or four?"

Eren piled four slices of pizza on his plate before pouring some Coke for himself and Levi.

"If we eat in the living room, don't spill _anything_." Levi warned him.

"Got it." Eren carried his pizza and soda in the living room and sat it on the long oak table in front of the couch.

Chuckling to himself, Levi followed suit with only two slices of pizza.

_When was the last time Eren looked this happy?_ Levi asked himself as he gazed at the brunette. _Has he ever looked this happy? I honestly don't know. I'm glad I'm part of the reason why. That… actually makes me feel like I've finally have a purpose. _

When the TMNT marathon ended, the entire box of pizza was gone. Eren ate over half of the pizza, and the fact that he wasn't reeling over was astonishing to Levi. Damn teenagers and their iron stomachs.

"Now it's time for the other box." Levi said, switching off the TV. "You stay here."

"Okay…" Eren stayed put, wondering what was in the box.

Levi opened the second box, taking out a round chocolate cake that read 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EREN' in M&amp;Ms. He lit a single candle in the middle and sat it on the kitchen table. He took out two forks and sat them down before calling for Eren.

"Come on in, Eren."

Eren got off the couch and entered the kitchen. He gasped in surprise. "A cake, for me?"

"Yeah." Levi looked away. "They had one on the dessert menu, and I requested them to write happy birthday on it. I know it isn't as fancy as the cakes in the bakery, but-"

Levi was cut off when Eren pulled him close in a tight embrace. "I love it. I don't care about fanciness. In fact, this entire date wasn't fancy at all, and I loved every second of it. Because you're here. I don't care what we do, as long as you're with me. That's all that matters to me."

Levi stood there in shock. He couldn't speak for a while.

"M-Make a wish." Levi stammered. "Blow out the candle, close your eyes, and make a wish in your head."

"Okay." Eren released Levi.

He bent over the cake, closed his eyes, and blew the candle out. He then faced Levi excitedly.

"Wanna know what I wished for?"

"You can't tell me. Otherwise it won't come true." Levi rolled his eyes.

"That's no fun." Eren pouted. "Because it was about- mmph!"

Levi had picked up a fork, scooped out a chunk of the cake, and stuffed it in Eren's mouth. The look on his face mixed with the cake was priceless. Levi couldn't contain his laughter anymore.

"You jerk! I see how it is!" Eren exclaimed after he swallowed the chunk.

Eren retaliated by picking up the other fork and doing the same thing to Levi. But only because Levi allowed him to do so.

Levi swallowed the cake and licked his lips. "You still have chocolate on your face, brat." He snickered.

Levi stood up on his toes and grabbed Eren's shoulder, licking the chocolate off the corners of his lips. Eren's face turned tomato red. Levi didn't stop there. He placed butterfly kissed across his cheeks before landing on his lips.

The same feeling Eren had when he and Levi made out in his bedroom returned, only much more intense. He instinctively leaned into the kiss, moving his lips back and forth. The taste of chocolate beat out the pizza they ate earlier.

Before things got too passionate, Levi pulled away slightly.

"Is there anything else you want for your birthday?" Levi murmured against his lips.

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi's waist. "Yeah… I want you."

That was it for Levi. He grabbed Eren's hand and pulled him into the guest bedroom, throwing him down on the bed. He intensified their kiss, slipping his tongue into Eren's mouth. The brunette let out a moan, surprising himself by the sound.

Levi tugged off his shirt along with Eren's, running his hands up and down his sides. Eren tangled his fingers into Levi's hair, pulling his face closer. Levi ran a hand down Eren's leg, coming back up to cup Eren's growing erection through his pants.

Eren gasped at the sudden sensation, breaking the kiss. "L-Levi!" He yelped.

Levi smirked sinisterly. "I'm about to make you feel really good. So just sit back and enjoy yourself. This is my present to you."

Eren gulped. "Are we… about to have sex?"

If Eren didn't look so adorable, Levi would have scolded him for almost ruining the mood.

"…yes. We are." Levi replied quickly. "If that's what you want."

Eren nodded. "Yes. I do. I may not know much about it, but I know it happens between two people who love each other. I never believed only men and women could have sex. So… let's prove Shiganshina and the rest of the world wrong."

Levi chuckled. "We aren't the first people to have gay sex, you know." He kissed Eren's nose. "Let's prove it to yourself, first."

Levi's kisses travelled down Eren's neck, nipping and suckling on the skin. He was careful not to leave a mark.

"Ah…!" Eren gasped at the pleasure.

Levi then kissed down his chest, licking his nipples until they were hard. Eren couldn't describe the way he was feeling right now. His body has never been touched in such a sensual way. However, Eren had no idea the bliss that was yet to come.

Levi tugged Eren's sweatpants off, revealing black boxers.

"L-Levi!" Eren quickly covered his erection with his hands, blushing profusely.

Levi gently pushed Eren's hands away. "Like I said, sit back and enjoy yourself. Trust me."

Eren nodded nervously and did as he was told.

Levi placed kisses around Eren's flat stomach as he palmed Eren through his boxers.

"Ooh!" Eren impulsively thrust his hips upwards to get more friction.

"You're getting the hang of this already." Levi simpered.

He pulled down Eren's boxers and tossed them away with his sweatpants. The sudden change of temperature caused Eren's penis to stiffen. Levi licked his lips. Eren was average size, which was perfectly fine with him. He removed a condom from his back pocket and tore it open with his teeth.

"What's that?" Eren inquired.

"It's a condom. It's to make sure both of us stay safe during sex." Levi explained patiently. "A condom is made out of latex rubber, so it won't feel bad. I'm going to put this on you, and a little later, I will be wearing one myself."

Eren nodded in understanding. "Okay."

Levi expertly slid the condom on Eren's penis, thanking Erwin silently for providing it.

After he was finished, Levi licked Eren's tip to see what reaction he would garner from him.

"Ahh!" Eren shivered.

Grinning cheekily to himself, Levi covered Eren's tip with his mouth, sucking gently. Eren completely mellowed out, sighing and moaning. Levi went down a little further, sucking harder.

"Levi! I feel something building up!" Eren warned Levi.

Levi quickly removed his mouth from Eren's shaft. Since he was a virgin in all areas, he expected Eren to cum quickly.

"Well, let's get to the fun part before you release your sperm and make a mess." Levi told him.

Eren's eyes widened. "Oh! That's what it is."

Before Eren ruined the mood again, Levi tugged off his own pants and underwear, retrieving the last condom and lube before tossing the clothing away. He slipped on his own condom and doused three fingers in lube.

"Now Eren, I'm going to need you to relax so I can prepare you." Levi told him.

Eren looked at Levi's penis, then his lubed fingers, putting two and two together. "How is that going to fit in my ass?!"

Levi would have laughed if he wasn't so damn horny. "It'll fit, trust me. Now, open your legs for me."

Eren spread his legs. "Okay… I trust you."

Levi got in between Eren's legs and gently inserted one finger into his virgin hole. He heard Eren gasp at the intrusion, he clenched his anal muscles around Levi's finger.

"Relax." Levi whispered.

When Eren managed to retract his muscles, Levi went in a little deeper. When his knuckle was right outside Eren's hole, Levi slowly pulled out and went back in, starting a slow pace.

"Ah… this feels weird…" Eren moaned out.

"I know. It'll feel good soon, I promise." Levi assured him.

When Levi deemed Eren was comfortable with one finger, he put in a second one. He continued at a slow pace while Eren got used to the feeling. This time, he was searching for Eren's prostate, anticipating his wild reaction.

"Oh my god!" Eren cried. "What was that?!"

_Found it. _Levi smirked. "That's your prostate, Eren. In this scenario, it's the gland that makes you feel good when touched."

Levi put in his third finger and thrust directly at that spot. Eren didn't hold back his moans and whimpers.

"How does it feel?" Levi asked Eren, his pace picking up speed.

"R-really nice." Eren mewled. "I want more."

"Good. I think you're ready." Levi pulled out his fingers, Eren whining in protest.

After grabbing a Kleenex off the nightstand and wiping his fingers off, Levi guided his penis into Eren's entrance. He pushed the head in slowly, feeling Eren stretch around him.

"Levi…!" Tears gathered in Eren's eyes as he grabbed Levi's shoulders.

Levi pecked Eren on the lips. "I'm almost all the way inside, Eren. Just hang in there. Remember to relax."

Eren nodded, doing just that. Finally, Levi was able to go all the way in. He sat there in that position, giving Eren all the time he needed to adjust to his size.

"Levi, I can feel you inside. It's… warm." Eren told him truthfully.

Levi bit his lip, trying his hardest not to ravage the brunette. "Thank goodness."

Eren bucked his hips slightly. "I want to feel more of you… please."

Clutching his hips, Levi pulled out until only the tip was the only thing inside before plunging back in, hitting Eren's prostate.

"Ah! Right there!" Eren cried out.

Levi moved in and out of Eren at a medium pace, making sure to hit Eren's prostate each time. Eren cried out in ecstasy, overwhelmed by the plethora of raw sensations engulfing his entire body.

"Go faster, please!" Eren begged.

Levi's self-control vanished at the brunette's plea. He quickened the pace, wanting to give Eren as much pleasure as he could muster.

"Levi… I'm gonna release…!" Eren moaned out.

"You're going to cum?" Levi chuckled, his pace never slowing down. "Do it."

"Ah… aaaahh!" Eren cried, ejaculating into the condom.

After thrusting into Eren a few more times, Levi came as well. Eren was panting as the euphoria from his first ejaculation slowly faded away. Levi pulled out, quickly removing his and Eren's sperm filled condoms. To Levi's relief, they managed not to make a mess on Erwin's guest bed.

"Levi… thank you." Eren murmured. "I never thought sex could be so wonderful. And that fact that you did it to me made it even better."

Levi threw the condoms away before approaching Eren again. "I don't get it. Sometimes you behave like a stubborn ass, and other times you're innocent and sweet. I like this side of you a lot. Maybe we should have sex all the time."

"Really?" Eren perked up.

"No." Levi laughed, ruffling Eren's hair. "If we did that, you would break in half. I am glad I was able to get intimate like this with you. I've been holding back all this time."

"No way…" Eren sat up. "But you looked fine."

"I have a wonderful poker face." Levi told him. "I wanted this just as much you did."

Eren beamed before a sleeping spell took over. He yawned, his body exhausted from their lovemaking.

"Get some sleep. We have to wake up before Erwin gets back so we can shower." Levi said, getting ready to leave the bed.

"Wait." Eren reached out and grabbed Levi's arm. "Sleep in here with me, please? I need some proof that this all isn't a dream."

Levi clicked his tongue at Eren. "If this is a dream, I hope I never wake up."

Eren grinned when Levi got back into bed and got under the covers. Eren snuggled up next to him, resting his head in the crook of Levi's neck. Sighing contentedly, Levi caressed Eren's hair until he went to sleep.

_Happy birthday, Eren. I hope the wish you made comes true._

* * *

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. _**TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES! Heroes in a half shell, turtle power!**

**I'm sorry… I had to.**

**So a lot happened in this chapter! The secrets of Shiganshina have been revealed! Levi and Eren finally got together and porked (in the most romantic and awkward way possible). So what awaits them when they get back to Shiganshina? **

**I'm not sure if chapter 15 will tell what happened to Mikasa, Hanji, Jean, and Marco while Eren, Levi, and Erwin were in Mitras. If I did that, the chapter would be short. I could get it out faster if it was short... ugh! I can't decide! What do you think? Let me know!**

~.~.~

_**Since updates are scarce, I have posted a story I was planning on releasing later, but why not now? I typed these chapters a while ago, and it is called Crystal Ball. It has gypsy Eren and King Levi. I would love it if you checked it out! I'm posting chapters of it in between Sugar and Spice updates so you guys won't go so long without anything from me. I already have two chapters up.**_

~.~.~

**If you've enjoyed this so far, add this to your favorites and alerts. And remember…**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**I appreciate the feedback.**

**See you in the next one!**

**PRK**


	15. Desolation

**Hey guys! Merry Christmas! :D**

**Thank you so much for the support! I appreciate it!**

**This chapter is short, but it is centered mainly on Jean and Marco with Mikasa and Hanji in the beginning.  
**

**I hope you enjoy the chapter~!**

* * *

_**Chapter 15 **__Desolation_

_**Two Days Earlier…**_

Mikasa paced back and forth in Hanji's house, worried about Eren.

"Are you absolutely sure he'll be okay?" She asked Hanji for the fifteenth time that evening.

"Of course he will." Hanji replied patiently. "He's in good hands. Levi and Erwin are the most trustworthy people I know. They will put themselves in harm's way before they allow Eren to get hurt, I assure you."

Mikasa bit her lip. "I suppose…"

"Instead of worrying yourself to death, how about we talk about the situation you've been pushed in." Hanji suggested, sitting on her couch. "I know you've had no idea about what was going on. So come sit next to me."

Mikasa did as she was told, sitting on the other end of the couch. "First, I want to know why Eren is in the middle of this. Why did he have to leave for the capital? What mess has Levi gotten Eren into?"

Hanji sighed. "No one could have seen this coming, Mikasa. None of this was Levi or Eren's fault. In fact, Levi had no idea what Erwin and I were doing here. But… Eren found something he shouldn't have, and that spiraled into a disaster, even getting Jean and Marco involved."

Mikasa felt her heart sink. "What… did he find?"

"He found marijuana." Hanji told her. "And it was part of a huge stash kept by the Reiss family. I don't know how it got separated from the stash, but it did. Historia Reiss was supposed to retrieve it, but Eren found it first."

"How?" Mikasa snapped angrily. "Eren would never be in such a situation!"

"Calm down, Mikasa." Hanji said calmly. "There's something about Eren you don't know. About all of your friends, even."

Hanji explained how parties took place in the governor's old house in the basement, the same place where the marijuana stash used to be. Mikasa almost fainted when Hanji informed her that marijuana and beer were provided for the students that attended.

"Eren… he…" Mikasa couldn't find words to say. The shock of it all was too much for her to handle.

"And this would have gone on forever if it wasn't for Levi." Hanji informed her. "He put an end to it, starting with Eren. And even though that happened, it wasn't over. Historia is a wily girl. Levi asked his class about the parties, and Historia was the one responsible for the drugs. So she tried to cover it up… using Jean and Marco."

Mikasa gasped. "How?! What happened to them? The only thing I heard from Jean is that Marco went missing."

Hanji looked away. "She told on them. That they were still in a relationship. Since they broke their probation, both of them were supposed to be arrested, but Marco lied for Jean so he would stay out of it."

"Marco's in jail…?" Mikasa put a hand to her forehead. "No… why is this all happening? My friends… Eren…"

A single tear rolled down her face.

"That's why Eren, Erwin, and Levi are going to the capital. To help get Marco out." Hanji said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "If they find evidence that this town is corrupted, then Marco could be let go. A trial has been declared, and Marco has been allowed to stay at home until then."

"I see…" Mikasa sat up, wiping her eyes. "How is Jean faring with this?

Hanji closed her eyes. "Not well. He's angry, as he should be. And now that Marco is back at home… I have no idea what he's feeling right now. I just hope he realizes that the sweet Marco he knew a few weeks ago is gone. Because if he doesn't, I don't think he and Marco will ever be together again."

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**_

Jean didn't know what to expect when he journeyed over to Marco's house the next day. However, he didn't expect his house to be trashed.

"What… happened here?" Jean almost dropped the letter he wrote for Marco.

Marco's house seemed abandoned, and for good reason. The windows were cracked, and the exterior of the house was tagged with 'faggot,' 'go to hell,' and 'devil child' in spray paint. Jean saw several bricks on the ground, he figured they were used to break open the windows. Mustering up his courage, Jean went to the front door, finding it unlocked to his surprise.

"…Marco?" Jean tentatively called, stepping inside the dark house and closing the door.

Even the inside of Marco's home had been vandalized. There was broken glass on the floor, tables were overturned, paintings were destroyed, and there were holes in the walls.

"Marco!" Jean called louder this time, his concern and fear for Marco's safety increasing.

He heard a low moan come from across the house.

_That came from Marco's room!_ Jean realized, rushing over the broken glass and pottery.

The door to his room was open, the only light coming from the broken window. Jean peeked inside, gasping at what he saw.

Marco's room was wrecked as well. Everything was shattered and on the floor. The sentence 'All homosexuals will burn in hell!' was written on his wall in spray paint. On the bed, Jean spotted messy black hair on top of a curled up body, breathing deeply. He was wearing a large sweater and dirty jeans that had holes. He had no shoes on his feet.

"Marco…?" Jean asked quietly, stepping closer to the boy.

Marco immediately stiffened, Jean's voice startling him.

"Marco, it's me, Jean." He said softly, kneeling down in front of him. "I've missed you so much. I never stopped thinking about you. Please… come with me. You can't stay here."

Jean reached out to touch Marco's shoulder. As soon as he did, Marco sat up and slapped Jean's hand away, fear spiraling in his brown eyes.

"Don't touch me! Get away from me!" Marco screeched.

Jean was shocked into silence. He tried to form words, but his voice failed him.

"Get out of here and never come back!" Marco sobbed into his arms. "I am a sinner! I'm going to hell! And it's all your fault!"

Marco's words stabbed through Jean's heart. His eyes drooped, and his lips quivered slightly.

"Marco… I never wanted to hurt you. You know that. We were told on, Marco. I never wanted that to happen, ever!" Jean said miserably.

"I lied for you, Jean! I wanted to protect you! And for what?! I got abused because of it! I got _hurt_! While you were living happily at home, I was battered!" Marco seethed.

"Marco, I never wanted that! _You_ didn't have to lie for me! I didn't ask you to do that!" Jean shouted. "That was _your_ fault!"

As soon as he said those words, Jean immediately regretted it. Marco tensed, and he began shaking uncontrollably.

"_Get. Out._" Marco ordered through clenched teeth. "I never want to see you, or another man again! Because I'm gay, I've been beaten and forced to have sex in jail! When I got home, my parents left! People came by this house to terrorize me! And for what?! I hate God for making me gay! I hate _you_ for making me fall in love with you! Because of that, I'm like this. I'm destined for hell! So leave me alone!"

Jean stood up and backed away slowly, tears cascading down his face. "Marco…"

"GET OUT!" Marco roared.

Jean took off for the front door, dropping the letter he wrote for Marco along the way. The tears rolled down furiously, and it took all of Jean's willpower not to sob as he slammed Marco's front door shut.

_Damn it! Damn it! Damn it all to hell!_

He rushed towards home, his entire world crumbling around him.

_He hates me. My Marco hates me. He never wants to see my face again. And it's all my fault. _

* * *

**...I hope I didn't ruin anyone's Christmas joy.**

**Because of what happened during his time in jail, Marco has been scarred forever. Jean has not come to terms with it yet. What will become of their relationship now?**

**I am predicting the trial will occur in chapter 17 or 18. Thus, I have an idea.**

**So many of you relate to Sugar and Spice and have strong opinions about it. I have my own arguments for the trial, but I want you guys to be included as well! If you want, send in Bible verses or your own arguments that you think would help Marco win against the government and the church. The best ones will be used in the trial, and I will credit those who did contribute!**

**The lovely reader rlb190 was the first to do this, and she gave me this idea! So thank you!**

**If you've enjoyed this so far, add this to your favorites and alerts. And remember…**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**I appreciate the feedback.**

**See you in the next one!**

**PRK**


	16. Tender Loving Care

**Hey guys! It's HUMP DAYYYYYY! Sorry I've been absent for a while. I was having some issues, but I think I'm over it now.  
**

**Thank you soooooooo much for the reviews, faves, and alerts! Some of you were mad at me for last chapter. Ahh… sorry. :( **

**The trial is coming up soon! What are Levi, Eren, Jean, and Marco going to do in the meantime? Can Marco even bring himself to even see Jean again?**

**Enjoy the chapter~**

* * *

_**Chapter 16 **__Tender Loving Care_

_**The Next Day…**_

_Crash!_

"Jean! What are you doing?!" Mrs. Kirstein pounded on her son's door.

"Leave me alone!" Jean shouted, throwing a book at his locked door.

"Jean, stop this right now! What has gotten into you?! When you left the house yesterday, you were fine! And now you're acting like you've been possessed by the devil himself!" Mrs. Kirstein wailed.

"_I'm_ not the angelic son you think I am!" Jean seethed. "_Marco_ is! He's the angel of this fucking town! Yet he had to suffer!"

Jean grabbed his lamp and smashed it on the ground.

"Get out! Get out of the house right now!" Mrs. Kirstein cried. "I do not tolerate swearing or destruction in this household! I don't want you back until you pray for God to get the devil out of you!"

"_Fine!_"

Jean slammed his door open and stormed out. He just couldn't take it anymore. This is the second time he was told to get out by someone that was supposed to be important to him.

_Why? I know I'm the one that got myself kicked out… but I just don't understand. Am I not allowed to be angry? Would my damn mother rather me punch her in the face instead of taking it out on a fucking lamp? _

Jean kicked a stone on the ground as hard as he could as he ventured away from the house. There was no way he was going back to Marco's house.

_He hates me… and it's all my fault._ Jean clenched his teeth. _Are we… broken up? I guess so. I don't know what to do. I can't approach him like this. There's no way._

Jean approached the Maria Bakery. He could see a police car pull up. Erwin, Levi, and Eren came out with Mikasa and Hanji waiting for them at the door. Jean felt his heart wrench as Mikasa ran over to him and squeezed him tight in a bear hug while Hanji talked to Erwin and Levi.

Jean stopped far away and took in the scene.

_They must have just come back from the capital. Jaeger looks… happy. And Levi has a weird look on his face. It looks like a smile. Heh, I'm glad that those two are least having fun while everyone else is suffering._

Jean shook his head. _I wish I could hug and smile at Marco like that again. But… I don't think I can anymore._

Jean tried to walk past the bakery without being seen, but Eren and Levi spotted him. Before However, before Eren could say something, Levi stopped him, noticing the look on Jean's face.

"It's no use trying to talk to him right now, Eren." Levi told him. "Something is horribly wrong, and I think I know what it is. So approaching him now would only end up in a fistfight."

Eren stared after Jean, feeling his heart sink. _Did he… see Marco?_

Jean's pace increased, never looking up to see where he was going. After about ten minutes of fast walking, Jean stopped, realizing what he was doing.

"I'm being a coward… I'm running away from my problems."

Even with that realization, Jean had no idea what to do. His anger and misery was taking over his mind. Jean looked around his surroundings, trying to pinpoint where exactly he was at. He paled considerably when he saw that the Church of Shiganshina was right in front of him.

_The last thing I wanted to do was end up back in that damn place!_ _Fuck church. Fuck Christianity!_

Despite his harsh thoughts, Jean felt something beckoning him inside the sanctified establishment. Before he knew it, Jean felt each foot stepping in front of the other simultaneously until he was inside.

"What am I doing in here?" Jean muttered. "There's no reason for me to be here."

Jean cautiously walked towards the inner sanctuary. After stepping inside, he felt an unpleasant sensation rush through him. He hasn't been inside the sanctuary in weeks. Ever since Marco was arrested, all prayer sessions have ceased. He hated kneeling in front of the altar for hours on end, praying to a God that didn't even care about him and Marco. A God that had forsaken them both.

Jean sat in the first pew, staring at the altar in hatred. He narrowed his eyes, wanting nothing more than to burn the church to the ground. He wanted all of this gone.

"Jean?"

Jean tensed at the voice, recognizing it immediately. "Mr.… Pixis…?"

He turned around to see the old man standing behind him.

"What a surprise to see you here. I'm happy to see you. Can I sit next to you?" Pixis asked kindly. "I'm the only other person here, so you don't have to worry about running into Pastor Nick. Something tells me you're upset."

Jean hesitated. Was his principal a friend or an enemy?

"…sure." Jean finally answered.

Pixis slid in the pew next to him. They two were silent for a long while, reflecting on different things.

"Have you seen Marco at all?" Pixis spoke up.

Jean dug his fingernails into the cushioned pew. "That's none of your business. None of Marco's condition is any of your business."

"I never asked about his condition. I simply asked if you've seen him. And going off of your sudden defensiveness, I'll take that as a yes."

Jean gritted his teeth. "All of you need to leave him alone! He's done nothing to deserve _any_ of this!"

"I agree with you." Pixis closed his eyes. "Marco is one of the kindest souls I've met in years. The last one was a girl named Ilse Langnar, but… she passed a while ago."

"Sorry for your loss." Jean spat bitterly.

"She was a lot like you and Marco, actually." Pixis turned his head to look at Jean. "She had Marco's softness and kindness, while at the same, had your boldness and hotheadedness. And the fact that now you two are under attack by the church saddens me greatly."

Jean looked away. "So what's your point?"

"Only together can you two put an end to your suffering." Pixis replied. "Ilse Langnar tried to do just that. She knew the church and government was corrupted. And she suffered because of it, just like you two."

Jean sat up, alarmed. "How do you that?! How do you know we know about-"

Pixis raised a hand to silence him. "I'm not just a principal at a high school, Jean. I know just as much, if not more, about the government's intentions as you do. I didn't know that you, Levi and Eren were also in on this until Hanji filled me in on it recently. I'm on your side, Jean. There are more people than you think that support you."

Jean couldn't believe it. He felt more tears prick his eyes, but he did his best to will them away.

"I can tell how much Marco means to you, Jean. The lies the church is filling your head with are preposterous. God is a loving God. He made you and Marco this way for a reason. He does not make mistakes. Put more faith in Him, and you'll see just how far it will take you."

Pixis stood up. "I originally came in here to meditate, but I got a chance to speak with you instead, which was much more rewarding. Take care, Jean."

He left Jean's pew and walked out of the sanctuary.

_Marco…_ Jean put his head in his hands. _You're not alone, Marco. Please don't push me away. There are people here that support us. _

Standing up, Jean wiped away the last of his tears. He needed some advice on what to do for Marco. And he knew just who to talk to.

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**_

Levi ran his right hand through Eren's hair gently as he slept.

As soon as he, Eren, and Erwin returned, all the brat wanted to do was take a nap, exhausted from the trip. Erwin had left to investigate further into the matter. He refused to elaborate on what he and his higher-ups discussed in Mitras.

Mikasa was in her room, resting as well. Since there was still no word on Grisha and Carla's whereabouts, Levi decided to stay with her and Eren for the time being. There was no way he could leave them alone. That would put them in great danger.

A loud banging on the bakery door jolted Levi out of his thoughts.

_Eren put the closed sign on the door. No one should be here._

Wary, Levi quietly left Eren's room and headed downstairs, ready to fend off any attacker. However, he was met with a tall sandy haired teenager at the locked glass door.

"Levi! It's me, Jean." He called. "I really need to talk to you."

Levi raised an eyebrow. He opened the door, immediately turning the lock back as soon as Jean was inside.

"Come with me upstairs." Levi told him. "If we're discussing anything related to the trial, we can't do it in front of glass windows."

Jean simply nodded. He didn't care about that right now. All he was focused on was Marco's wellbeing.

Levi quickly closed Eren and Mikasa's doors before finally settling at the kitchen table with Jean across from him.

"So what do you want talk about?" Levi asked.

Jean took a deep breath. "Marco."

Levi closed his eyes. _So Eren was right._

"I saw him yesterday… I visited his house. But, everything went wrong."

"What did you expect?" Levi opened one eye. "He's been traumatized. Did you really think he would smile and hug you?"

Jean bit his lip. "No, I didn't. I didn't know what to expect. His home got trashed and tagged, and he was sitting alone in his room. Later on, I got upset… and I said something I regret. Now he hates me, and never wants to see me again. I know he needs someone, but I don't know what to do. I love him dearly, but I…" He trailed off.

Levi exhaled deeply. "First off, Marco does not hate you. He hates himself. He feels like he doesn't deserve any sort of happiness, which is why he's pushing you away. For the time I've known you, you've been insensitive, and this is not the time for that. I also known that you're persistent. Which brings me to my second point; you need to get out there and show him that no matter what he says, you will be there for him. Clean up the house. Make sure he's eating. Give him fresh clothes. And if he wants, make arrangements for him to stay somewhere else. Erwin and Hanji's houses are safe, and if I talk to Mikasa and Eren, I'm certain we could let him stay here. And when you speak to him, be gentle. Do not sound accusatory or harsh."

Jean nodded. "I finally understand now. Thank you, Levi."

Levi rested his cheek in his hand. "Then get out and show him you love him."

Jean quickly hopped out of his chair and headed for the entrance, racing back towards home.

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**_

It was difficult to explain to his mother why he was leaving the house again with clothes, garbage bags, a pillow, a blanket, and cooked food with silverware all housed in three duffel bags.

"There's someone I care about that needs this stuff." Jean said as vaguely as he could. "I thought about what you said earlier, and I went by the church. I just thought of someone who is need, so I decided to help out. I might be there a while, so is it ok if I spend the night?"

Mrs. Kirstein ruffled his hair. "You're so kind, Jean. Of course you can. See, a little prayer never hurt anyone."

As soon as Jean was able to get out of the house, he booked it to Marco's house. The sun was beginning to set.

_Damn my mother. She wouldn't be nearly this understanding if I told her this was all for Marco._

The weight of the two duffel bags strained Jean's shoulders, but he didn't care. Nothing hurt more than the desolate look on Marco's face.

When he arrived, Jean made sure to announce his presence once again.

"Marco, it's me, Jean." He announced loudly, making sure he heard him.

Jean walked back to Marco's room, and sure enough, he was in the same fetal position as yesterday. He was wearing the same clothes, and his hair was messier than before. Jean could see his hands and feet, and they were considerably pale. He noticed that the letter he dropped was laying neatly on Marco's nightstand, unopened.

Jean gently set the duffel bags onto the ground. "I brought some stuff for you. First, let's start off with some food. I know you don't want me to touch you, so after I dish some soup, I'll just hand it to you."

He noticed Marco's head move slightly, but he refused to look up.

Jean opened the first duffel bag and sighed in relief that none of the covered food opened and leaked any soup out. He removed the first bowl, filled with tomato soup, and opened the lid, the scent wafting into the air.

"Here it is, Marco." Jean told him softly, taking out a spoon. "Please eat something. If not for you, do it for me."

Marco finally lifted his head. There were bags under his hardened brown eyes, and he shivered. Jean quickly opened the second duffel bag and offered him a blanket.

Marco hesitantly reached out and accepted the thick blanket, placing it around his shoulders. He also tried to take the soup, but his hands were too shaky, and he feared he would drop it. Jean took notice of his struggle.

"Will you let me help you?" Jean asked. "I promise I won't touch you."

Marco nodded weakly.

"Thank you." Jean dipped the spoon into the soup and raised it towards Marco's chapped lips.

The freckled boy wavered before opening his mouth slightly, allowing Jean to insert the soup filled spoon inside. The warm liquid soothed Marco somewhat.

Jean continued to feed Marco the soup until it was all gone. Then, he took out a bottle of water, helping Marco drink it as well. Marco licked his lips, regaining some of the moisture.

"I have more food for you if you're still hungry." Jean offered. "I have sandwiches and more soup. Are you still thirsty? I have plenty of water."

"…thirsty." Marco said, barely above a whisper.

Jean was so overjoyed to hear his voice again. "Sure! Here you go!"

Marco was shocked over how happy Jean looked after he spoke. Why?

After Marco gulped down the second bottle of water, Jean pulled out some clothes.

"These are some of my clothes. You're only an inch taller than me, so I'm sure these will fit you. I have some sweats and sweaters for you so you can stay warm. Even though it's now April, it still gets a bit chilly out. I'll step out so you can change."

Marco stared at the clothing after Jean stepped out. Slowly, he slid out of his holed clothes and put Jean's on. Even though it had been cleaned, Marco could smell a faint yet familiar scent of Jean on the sweater. Fresh tears ran down his face as memories of him and Jean hugging, laughing, and kissing filled his mind. He sobbed, believing he'll never experience something so wonderful ever again.

"Marco?" Jean stood outside Marco's door. "May I come in?"

"Yeah." Marco sniffed, hiding under the blanket.

Jean entered his room. "I'm going to clean up a bit around the house. Then after I get as much done as I can, I'm coming in here to spend the night with you."

Marco flinched under the blanket. "No. You cannot."

"I'm not leaving you again, Marco." Jean said as kindly as he could. "I am not letting you stay here alone. I love you. I know you can't see it and understand it right now, but I truly do. I regret not doing much to show you how much I love you when we first started going out. But I promise you that I will spend every day proving it to you."

Marco clutched his head. "No! _No!_" He cried, his head pounding.

"Whenever you're ready, please read the letter I wrote to you." Jean encouraged, undeterred. "I put all of the raw feelings I have for you into it. I know I said rotten things to you yesterday… and I'm deeply sorry for what I said. I hope you will forgive me someday."

With that, Jean grabbed the box of garbage bags and left Marco's room, getting to work picking up the trash.

Marco peeked out from under the blanket, tears still streaming down his face. He eyed the letter. He had initially swore to never open it after Jean walked out yesterday, but now he was having second thoughts.

_I can't. I can't do it. I can never come to terms with myself._ Marco went back under the blanket. _I'm too weak. I'm not like Jean. And I certainly don't deserve Jean. I'm a sinner, doomed to roam the Earth while getting mocked by the masses. He will be better off without me._

_**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**_

An hour later, Jean had finished picking up the majority of Marco's house. He discovered the bathroom and Marco's parents' bedroom were the only rooms that were untouched. Even though he hated the thought of making Marco remember his parents leaving him, Jean knew that kindest thing he could do was get Marco out of his wrecked and tagged bedroom.

"Marco?" Jean called softly.

As he expected, Marco was still hiding under his blanket.

"It's getting pretty late. We both should probably get some sleep. However… you can't sleep in here, Marco. It's too cluttered. The other bedroom is clean. You should sleep in there."

From under the blanket, Jean could see Marco shake his head.

"No… this is the only room deemed worthy for a sinner like me."

"You are not a sinner, Marco. If I'm not a sinner, you aren't either. We're one in the same." Jean tried to reason with him. "So please…"

Marco refused again.

Jean tapped his chin, trying to think up of a compromise. "How about this. If you sleep in the other bedroom tonight, I will clean up in here tonight. Then tomorrow, you'll return to a clean bedroom. How about that?"

Marco poked his head out from under the blanket, nodding feebly.

"Okay, then." Jean sighed in relief. "Good night, Marco."

His freckled lover didn't return to gesture. He simply got up, stretched, and walked slowly to his parents' bedroom.

"…thank you."

Jean spun around at Marco's soft gratitude. "Anything for my wonderful boyfriend." Jean replied without hesitation.

Marco shut the bedroom door.

Stretching his arms, Jean got back to work, cleaning up Marco's room. He righted overturned furniture, and straightened out Marco's bed. After picking up the rest of the debris, he thought about what he could about the tagged hate messages on his wall and the broken window. An idea came to him.

Jean scavenged the house, finding an unused blanket, a wide roll of plastic, nails, a hammer, and heavy duty tape. He first nailed the blanket to the window. It took several times, as he only used a hammer and nails only once in his entire life. After narrowly missing hammering his thumbs a million times, Jean got to work taping the plastic on the blanket. He went outside and taped more plastic on the space as well, effectively keeping the elements outside.

Next, Jean went in the garage, looking to see if the ivory paint Marco's walls were painted with was still there. He found several cans of paint and paintbrushes. Luckily for him, the ivory color was there. Jean quickly carried the ivory paint and a paintbrush back to Marco's room, and he quickly got to work covering up the spray painted messages.

Jean did not understand the importance of painting in the same direction, so the strokes were messy and amateur. Realizing his mistake, Jean corrected it by painting a giant ivory heart over it. Satisfied, Jean returned the paint to the garage, hoping the paint would be dry by in the morning.

It was midnight when Jean finally turned in for the night. He knocked softly on his parents' bedroom door.

"Marco?" He called quietly.

He gingerly opened the door. Marco had turned the lamp on, and the light was shining on his sleeping face. Jean quickly closed the door, walking over to the cushioned chair by the bed. He sat down, gazing at Marco. He looked peaceful, snoring softly.

Jean figured Marco had many sleepless nights, so he was relieved that Marco was getting some rest. The rise and fall of Marco's chest was hypnotizing, feeling himself nod off.

_I love you, Marco. I love you so much. I will always be here for you._

* * *

**Jean finally realized what he had to do! Yay!**

**I know there has been a lot of Jean and Marco plot lately, and I hope you don't mind! Even though Levi and Eren are the main pieces of the plot, Jean and Marco serve an importance too. I .might as well put them in the pairing list, too!**

**The trial is coming up! You still have time to send in arguments! I'm back to debating whether the trial will be in chapter 18 or 19, so chapter 17 will be the decision maker! **

**If you've enjoyed this so far, please add this to your favorites and alerts.**

**And remember…**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**See you in the next one!**

**PRK**


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